A Song of Conquest and Fate
by TriforceWisdom64
Summary: Prince Corrin remembers nothing of his brief life in Hoshido. Likewise, Princess Kamui cannot recall the brother who was taken from her. With the kingdom of Nohr crippled by famine and desperate for arable land, the twins - and their armies - will finally meet, and the future of all the kingdoms hangs in the balance. (Strays from game lore. New uploads every two months or less.)
1. Lost

.

 **PROLOGUE**

 _ **Destiny**_

 _July, year 2002 After the Dragons_

A quiet sigh escaped Kaze's lips, muffled by the black cloth mask he wore. The grayish-green-haired ninja watched the duo of Nohrian guards slowly turn the corner and vanish down another hall. He closed his eyes and listened for a few seconds before dropping from the wooden beam on which he had perched. He immediately tensed up, two shuriken flashing from his belt to each gloved hand. Nobody came. Still uncharacteristically anxious, he lodged one shuriken back on his belt, but kept the one in his right hand. He moved quickly down the hall, its black brick walls and patterned black and gold carpet dimly lit by torches placed every few meters along the left-hand wall. If the intelligence report was good, his target would be on the right, through a plain-looking wooden door.

Kaze's assignment was a search-and-rescue mission, called for by Queen Mikoto herself. He had been quick to volunteer when she announced her intent to return her son to Hoshido. He considered the young prince's capture a personal mistake, and he wanted redemption as much as he wanted justice. Her Majesty had been unsure if he was the right man for such an important mission—especially given the fact that, at fourteen, he wasn't really a man at all. Despite her doubts, she had decided that if King Sumeragi was still with them, he would trust Kaze to infiltrate the Nohrian capitol, recover the prince, and escape undetected. Kaze himself believed otherwise, but he pushed his thoughts away. They would only hinder his progress through Castle Krakenburg.

He came to the door. It hadn't taken quite as long as he'd expected to find. Though there were a few more patrols on this floor than the others, each had been rather chatty and inattentive, and avoiding them was nearly effortless.

Unwilling to rule out the possibility of a trap, he gripped his shuriken tighter as he tried to turn the knob. As expected, it instantly resisted. Looking left and right down the hall, Kaze knelt, set down the shuriken, and drew his lock-picking tools from their compartment on his belt. He'd always had something of a natural gift for lock-picking, which Princess Kamui liked to call "the Locktouch." In moments, the door was ready to welcome him with open arms. He secured the tools, grabbed his shuriken, and opened the door quickly, careful not to let it hit the wall.

The intel had not been good. A small girl, about the same age as the prince that Kaze sought, sat on her elegant ebony bed under the crimson blanket. Despite the late hour, she was still awake, reading a book by the light of a single candle. Her hair, colored a brilliant sky blue, came to the waist of her violet nightgown. She looked up from the page at him.

The intruder threw the door closed and sprinted across the room. The girl tried to scream, and was quickly silenced by the ninja's forceful hand. She fought with all her strength to break free, thrashing and squirming and desperately clawing at his hand. He held firm and wrapped his other arm around her from behind, holding both of hers in place. She continued to kick her legs beneath the covers, only lightly jostling the sturdy bedframe, until he climbed on top of her and laid his knee over her thighs. Still, her mind gripped by terror, she attempted to move any part of her body she could to shake him off, or to just make a little bit of noise. Several torturous minutes passed, and the man just kept holding her still, prohibiting her from pleading for her life.

Finally, as her energy left her and her instincts faded away, she understood she could do nothing to escape. He was too strong, and she was too little, too tired to keep resisting. Nobody was coming to help. She sobbed into his palm, her throat painfully tight and her cheeks slick with tears. She looked pleadingly into the man's eyes, silently begging him to let her go.

The exposed part of Kaze's face glistened with a coat of sweat, which had soaked his mask and headband. _'What the hell can I do now?'_ he thought, his mind panicked and irrational. He was holding some little girl at shuriken-point in her own home. She thought he had come to kill her. _'How could Yukimura have gotten it this wrong?'_ She was supposed to be Corrin. He was supposed to have been asleep, easy to bind and gag. As soon as they were out, they would explain his true lineage—how he'd been taken, how King Garon had lied to him.

Kaze nearly teared up himself, realizing that he wouldn't rescue the prince tonight, but he forced himself to calm down. He returned his attention to the issue at hand, a bawling child caught tightly in his grasp. "Hey, hey," he gasped. "Please, be quiet. Please, just..." The child sobbed harder. Kaze let his shuriken fall to the floor. Leaning down toward where his hand clutched her wrist to her body, he awkwardly pulled his mask down, revealing his face. "Please, I'm not going to hurt you, alright? You're safe. Look at me. Look—I'm just a kid, just like you, alright? Please."

The girl kept crying, but her tears slowed, if only marginally. Though it didn't outright pacify her, the age of her attacker clearly intrigued her.

A tiny squeak emitted from the opposite corner of the room—the door had opened. Kaze reached for his shuriken, but heard the figure in the doorway whisper, "Hold it!" Kaze looked up.

"Saizo?" Indeed, Kaze's non-identical twin brother, Saizo, had arrived. They were behind schedule.

"Kaze, who the hell is that?!" the redhead ninja questioned.

"I...I don't know!"

Saizo turned around and glanced down the hall both ways. "Well, the explosives are set. We need to leave." He eyed the child. Whoever she was, she was important enough that General Yukimura's informant had mistaken her chambers for Corrin's. "Take her with us," he commanded.

Kaze took a moment to process that. "Saizo, we can't just kidnap a kid!"

"Of course we can," Saizo responded coolly. "That was our original mission, wasn't it?"

"That's not the same at—!"

"Listen!" Saizo hissed. "Queen Mikoto might be able to arrange a prisoner exchange with King Garon. This kid's got to be someone important, right?"

"I…" Kaze faltered.

"Yes, she is! Now come on, we need to go!" Saizo looked at the girl, pulling down his mask and offering an unconvincing half-smile. "You'll be home again before you know it, and you'll help us get someone else back to their home. Alright?" Without waiting for a response, he exited to the hallway.

Kaze turned to face the girl. His brother had a good point. Garon had been unwilling to hold any legitimate negotiations since the murder of King Sumeragi, which meant that for years, Corrin's return to Hoshido via diplomacy had been entirely out of the question. But if this kid was important to the Nohrian king, everything might change. In any case, he couldn't bear to face Queen Mikoto empty-handed...whatever the alternative.

"We're going to take you on a little trip," he said, smiling weakly. "Alright? You'll see beautiful places and wonderful people, and you'll be home in no time at all, okay?" She cried. Kaze groaned, hating himself for what he was about to do.

He grabbed a small roll of gauze off his belt and sliced a long piece off clumsily. He hastily tied it around her head, knotting it in her mouth. Her sobs and screams were significantly louder, but still muffled. He dragged her out of her bed and hoisted her over his left shoulder. With his grip on her much weaker than before, she resumed her thrashing, but he'd be able to hold on. He grabbed his shuriken, pulled up his mask, and bolted after his brother.

Saizo was just outside. Wordlessly, the two headed for the window they had rappelled up to when they entered Castle Krakenburg, three floors below their current location. Their footfalls made little sound, smothered by the cloth wraps they wore in place of shoes.

A distant boom resonated through the palace—the bomb Saizo had prepared on the opposite side of the building, just powerful enough to grab some people's attention. That might have been the riskiest part of their plan. It meant they were less likely to see multiple patrols in this direction, but nearly guaranteed they'd run into at least one. Hopefully, any guards on this side would have taken the stairs down to the floor that had been struck, rather than cutting straight across.

They rounded one corner, then another, before coming to an open door that entered into a stairwell, in the middle of a three-way intersection of hallways. The twins knelt by either side of the door, with Saizo drawing a thirty-centimeter tanto blade. Kaze laid their captive onto the floor and once more knelt on top of her, uncomfortably conscious of the fact that her gown was soaked around her thighs. He placed a hand over her mouth and drew a smaller kunai.

They looked out into the halls behind them and listened intently. Kaze faintly heard a man's shouting echo within the stairwell, but it seemed to be getting further away. Their floor had gone silent shortly after the explosion, and they could only assume the guards had gathered near the opposite staircase, where the bomb had gone off. Saizo lightly slapped his palm against the wall and stood, slipping through the door and slowly tiptoeing up the stairs. Kaze sheathed his knife and propped the girl up against the wall, keeping her mouth covered. He watched as Saizo peered up the stairs, then retreated confidently to their floor and began slowly making his way down. The redhead rounded the corner and disappeared, and Kaze began frantically glancing between the halls and the stairs. After almost five minutes, long enough for Kaze's anxiety to peak, his brother finally returned and motioned for him to follow.

Kaze raised the child onto his shoulder once more, sparking yet another round of renewed protests. He grabbed her legs with his right arm and started walking. Getting down the polished stone steps with a violent burden and essentially just socks on his feet proved difficult, but he wouldn't allow such a trivial matter as descending stairs to ruin the mission. He picked up his pace as he rounded the corner.

"We're clear!" Saizo rasped excitedly, standing in the doorway on the lower level. "Come on!"

With a surge of relief, Kaze rushed down the next few flights, following his brother into the hallway. A short way to the right, he found the window they'd used to enter. It was designed to swing open, and smashing the hinges on the outside had allowed them to easily remove the whole glass pane from its place in the wall, and putting it back had been even simpler. From this side, it looked just the same as before they'd knocked it out. Saizo unhinged the lock and pulled the pane into his arms. On the other side, the grappling hook they'd used to access the window clung precariously to the narrow ledge. Beyond that, the lights of Windmire shone through an empty void.

Saizo grabbed the heavy hook and lodged it more securely on the window sill. He ushered his brother down the attached rope first.

The girl was still kicking and screaming. "Hey, hold on tight!" Kaze ordered at full speaking volume. He maneuvered himself and his charge over the sill and into the cool night air, and grabbed the rope with his free hand as he started to slide the twenty meters to the ground. He gripped the rope as tightly as he could, holding it between his feet to try and slow their descent. He hit the ground hard, throwing his momentum forward and sprinting to keep his balance, and to keep his prisoner on his shoulder. Saizo was just behind him. They were now on a long, wide, and totally exposed bridge that spanned a hundred meters from the castle to the city. Kaze was exhausted, but he had a long way to go before he could stop.

"What took you so long?" asked a third ninja, emerging from the castle's shadow. Takahiro, a man in his twenties, had entered the city with the twins, but stayed behind to guard their escape route while they rescued the prince. He was also ready to climb inside and aid them if the alarm was raised. His eyes widened. "By the gods, who is that?!"

"Didn't...find..." Kaze panted. "Don't know...who..."

"Here, Kaze," Saizo said impatiently. "Let me carry her." Offering an apologetic look to their hostage, Kaze handed her to his brother. Shouldering the ever-uncooperative girl and turning to Takahiro, Saizo said, "Mikoto can arrange a trade with Garon; this girl for her son. This way, the mission succeeds."

Takahiro looked in all directions for hostiles before considering their options. He needed to know who this girl was, and where she had been when the twins found her. But at the moment, he had no time to ask. Saizo's bomb would have worn out its use as a diversion by now. The alarm must have already been raised. Guards would be upon them in moments.

The older ninja groaned angrily and ushered his companions forward. "Fine, fine, whatever! Now go! We need to get out of here immediately!"

The trio crossed the bridge as quickly as possible. Takahiro wanted to carry the child and speed things along, but he needed to be ready to stick a shuriken or katana into any soldiers that tried to stop them. It would be hard to hide in Windmire with a noisy, wriggling sack of flesh slung over one of their shoulders.

Reaching the end of the bridge and getting out of the open was a relief, but was hardly the end of their trial. They needed to reach the extraction point fast, backtracking through the vertically stacked maze that was the Inner City of Windmire. The haphazard mix of shops and slums was densely packed into the sides of the colossal chasm that housed Castle Krakenburg.

They slipped into every alleyway and side street they could, slowing their progress through the city to an excruciating crawl. The alternative was facing down the countless Nohrian troops appearing seemingly from nowhere and gathering in the main streets. Spurred on by the alarm bells beginning to ring throughout the city, they ran until, finally, they saw the point on the outer wall where they had entered the Inner City. A simple iron cage elevator sat against the wall, powered by a complex gear system that ran beneath the city. Takahiro cut in front of the twins at the mouth of the last alley, which opened out into a wide, empty plaza. There were a few soldiers about, but all of them were making their way toward the castle, and some were struggling to get their armor on straight.

The ninja smirked. Raising the alarm hadn't magically informed the soldiers of their position. Of course, they would still certainly be set upon shortly, but a few crucial seconds were all they needed. He motioned for the others to follow him, and they sprinted across the plaza and into the lift.

A woman's scream stung in their ears as they ran, but none of them dared look back until they all stood within the cage. Kaze shut the door and saw the source of the sound stumbling in a panic, wailing at the few guards who were near enough to see her. The lift jolted and began to rise.

"On the floor, now!" Takahiro instructed. He laid down on his back, flattening himself as much as possible. Kaze followed his example, as did Saizo, who set the girl on the floor beside them. The twins quickly placed their arms and legs over hers to keep her still.

"Why exactly…are we doing this?" Saizo inquired, panting.

"Hopefully, buying time. If we're not seen immediately, they might not rush wyverns out to this elevator."

"…Hopefully?" Kaze repeated, his voice cracking.

His companions said nothing. The cage continued to rise, and the sounds of grinding metal nearly drowned out their prisoner's sobs.

The girl craned her neck to take one more look at her home. She thought she caught a brief glimpse of a black and white shape far below, moving from the front gates of Castle Krakenburg surrounded by soldiers—her father. Her sore, red eyes refused to shed another tear, so she watched quietly as the subterranean palace slowly shrank away into the earth.

As they neared the end of their ride, Takahiro dared to stand, with the younger boys following shortly. The lift entered into an enclosed space, coming to a stop within the fortress that ringed the Inner City. Just beside the shaft, two female ninja stood at the elevator's controls. Behind them, three unconscious Nohrian guards sat slumped on the floor, gagged and bound together. One soldier had suffered a nasty wound to the back of the head which had since bled through his bandage, while the others had been asphyxiated.

"What the hell are you asses doing with a girl?!" the younger, black-haired ninja demanded upon seeing the recovery team's captive. She was one year older than the twins, and for the most part she was their friend. She was also Prince Ryoma's retainer alongside Saizo.

"The intel was bad, Kagero," Kaze managed, still gasping for breath. Takahiro spoke to the other adult with a tone of frightening urgency. The shouting of soldiers could now be heard from the bottom of the wall. "I think she's a princess. We can arrange a prisoner exchange—"

Kagero turned to Saizo. "This was your idea, wasn't it? Put her through hell because it _might_ help us get the prince back?"

Saizo responded by handing the girl to Kagero. He panted heavily. "Look, it doesn't matter now. We need to get the hell out of here. The kinshi knights are waiting."

Kagero felt like screaming, but instead turned her attention to the child. "Gods, I'm so sorry, sweetie. This will be over soon, and you'll have a change of clothes and—"

"Fine, let's go," the older woman snapped at Takahiro. She faced the teenagers and repeated, "Go!"

"But Mei—"

"Now!"

The twins needed no more convincing and took off, with Saizo grabbing Kagero's arm to pull her along. Takahiro and Mei took up the rear as the party set out, jogging at a pace too slow to be comforting.

The party left the fortress heading northwest, shortly entering the massive agricultural district of the Outer City. By now, the ninja knew that wyverns and cavalry would be receiving orders to deploy and sweep the region, eyes and ears vigilant for any sign of the intruders and their hostage.

Azura changed hands twice during her captors' two kilometer run to the center of a large, flat wheat field. Despite her terror, she couldn't help but be mystified as the air around them appeared to shimmer, and then several giant, brilliantly white birds suddenly came into view among the yellow stalks. Hoshidan soldiers sat astride the beasts, and two men in odd, poofy white outfits were waving objects in the air and sweating. One held a blue stick with paper streamers and a fan on the end, and the other held some pieces of paper. She realized that they must be magicians, and that the air was shimmering because of them.

 _'C-Could we be..._ invisible _?!'_ she thought. She knew people could use magic in different ways, but she'd never heard nor thought of anything so incredible as hiding oneself in plain sight. Yet her bewilderment was followed at the heels by a heartbreaking realization: if nobody could see her...

 _'Nobody can save me.'_

Kagero noticed the girl's eyes begin to water anew. "What the hell happened in there, Saizo?" she demanded.

"I'll tell you in Shirasagi," he said, prompting an exasperated groan from his partner.

There were eight Kinshi birds in total, each meant to carry their rider and one additional person—the five ninja, their captive, and the two magically inclined onmyoji who were beginning to pale from the effort of maintaining their crude invisibility field. The method of generating such a phenomenon had been devised just a few months before in the Hoshidan capital of Shirasagi, and had first been successfully tested mere weeks before the current operation's execution. A minimum of two people was necessary to make it work, with one using a rod of silence and the other casting a diffused spell from a scroll of the snake. The result was a cloud of particles that hid those inside, though a distorted, bubbling dome remained, as if reality itself was melting away in a contained area.

One Kinshi rider took the girl with only a brief, bewildered pause, and the team mounted up, buckled into their saddles, and took to the skies. Their cover remained, but with wyverns in the air, it wouldn't be long before they were noticed. In any case, the onmyoji couldn't maintain the spell for long. The duo's record was only thirty minutes on the ground, and even less while airborne.

They had approached the city from the far north, where Nohrian surveillance was most limited. Maps obtained from Nohrian merchants had provided the positions of the scattered few watchtowers in the mountains, which the Hoshidans had either avoided entirely or passed while invisible. The trip had been long and consistently cold, but staging their operation in the middle of summer had allowed the Kinshi birds to tolerate the often frigid peaks.

"To the north!" Takahiro ordered. "Everyone watch your backs. The Nohrians won't leave us alone for long!"

"How far to our backup?" Kaze asked the rider seated in front of him.

"Just a couple of kilometers," the woman replied. "They should just beat any scouts who might've seen them." Though the lack of moonlight left them in near-pitch-darkness, he could tell she had blue hair. By her voice, he figured she was in her early twenties. "Name's Reina, by the way."

"Kaze."

The cloaking effect began to fizzle out around them, and the air beyond grew clearer. Kaze's grip on the saddle tightened.

"Alright, Kaze. Let me know when to break out my fancy flying."

He craned his head to look behind them, only to spot the dark wings of Nohrian wyverns rising from the Inner City and headed in their direction. "Uh, that would be now, ma'am."

Reina followed his gaze. "Ha! Very well, then." She drew her bow and nocked an arrow. "You handy with a shuriken?"

He nervously rubbed the palm-sized projectiles in his hand. "I haven't had any practice against wyverns."

"Now's as good a time as any."

The other Hoshidans drew their weapons, and Kaze realized to his horror that he and Reina were lagging noticeably behind. That would make them the first target. He swallowed and watched as the enemy advanced.

A malig knight threw a fireball from atop his black dragon. It blazed white-hot against the empty sky, fizzling out several meters behind its target.

Reina grinned. "Nice shot, bitch," she whispered, drawing back her bowstring and letting an arrow fly.

The Nohrian couldn't see the missile, so he took a guess and climbed up and to the left. The arrow just missed his mount's wing, but a moment later, a shuriken found its mark in the thin appendage. The knight struggled to keep the beast under control and started losing ground on his adversaries.

"Good throw, kid!" Reina remarked as she kicked her bird into a dive, dodging a brilliant yellow burst of thunder magic. She loosed another arrow, which planted itself in the nearest wyvern's neck. Another dragon was struck by shuriken from Saizo and Kagero. One rider clutched his chest, in which Takahiro's kunai had stuck, while another deflected Mei's with his axe.

Kaze flung another shuriken, but was knocked off target when Reina's kinshi suddenly cut to the right. A bead of sweat dripped down his forehead and blew away in the cold wind. "They're still gaining, ma'am!"

"How close?" she queried.

"Closest one's about fifteen meters back. Standard rider. He's got a couple of hand axes left."

"Keep the heat on him. I'm watching the MK on the left." She gasped and pulled up hard on the reins, climbing several meters to avoid the miniature hailstorm conjured by her mark's Fimbulvetr tome. "Yeesh. Speaking _of_."

The rider with the axes raised his arm to hurl one. "Roll right!" Kaze shouted, clinging tight to the beast as it maneuvered under Reina's command. Harness or no, he wasn't thrilled to be upside-down in the air for any amount of time. The axe falling uselessly to the ground offered some consolidation, but not for long. "He's easily within ten meters, now."

Reina pulled farther to the right, breaking formation with the other kinshi knights. "New plan," she said calmly. "You hit the MK. I've got this guy." She fired an arrow, muttering a curse as it bounced off the soldier's large cavalry axe. "Things might get bumpy," she added, shouldering her bow in favor of her steel naginata.

The wyvern rider drew closer until he was beside them, at which point Reina thrust her weapon in a preemptive stab. He knocked it away and took a short swing at her mount, forcing her to draw back sharply. The malig knight took the opportunity to prepare a magic attack, but was forced to redirect it toward an incoming shuriken from Kaze. The condensed ice spell and the bladed star met in midair, with the former bursting apart and the latter spinning away through the sky.

The rider with the axe made another pass, and Reina struggled to knock his heavy blade away. She kicked her bird into a brief dive and tried to stab her enemy's wyvern, but he climbed out of her reach. Immediately, the Nohrian dove back at them, bringing his axe around in a wide arc. Kaze hit the dragon with a shuriken, but it was too late to stop the assault. Reina gripped her naginata low and swung it around her body, trying to match her opponent's force. He easily overpowered her when their weapons clashed, and while she managed to prevent him from hitting her or her mount, she partially lost her grip on her own. The back of her blade careened into its wielder's face, leaving a long, diagonal gash from the corner of her forehead to the edge of her cheek.

"Agh!" she yelped. "Gods-damned...!"

"Watch out!" Kaze called, tossing another shuriken at the malig knight and groaning when it missed its target. He only had a few left.

Reina stared down the rider who had injured her. He was preparing to make another pass, but this time, she would be ready. As a trickle of blood from her wound passed over her lips, they twitched upward in an unsettling grin.

She charged toward him. The rider, caught off guard, spurred his mount toward her a moment later. As he positioned to swing his axe, she let go of her naginata with her left hand and held it up with her right. "Hang on!" she yelled to her companion. Just before the two beasts collided, she tilted her head back and thrust her weapon forward while grabbing the handle of his with her free hand. His blade cut into her face, but missed her eyes and didn't go deep enough to do any real damage. Her blade, meanwhile, impaled the Nohrian through the stomach.

Both combatants dropped their weapons when the bird and dragon smashed into each other, with the axe plummeting to the ground and the naginata jerking about in the man's gut. He screamed in agony and attempted to pull it out of him, but his hands were trembling, and his face was turning white. Reina watched him as he slowly lost consciousness and slumped forward onto the wyvern's neck.

Snapping from her trance, she hurriedly comforted her kinshi. "You're alright," she gasped. "Fly strai—ack!" She spit out a mouthful of her own blood. Some of it was also leaking into her eyes, and she tried to wipe it away before drawing her bow once more.

"Are you alright, ma'am?!" Kaze demanded.

"Sure, kid!" she replied with a chuckle. She turned around—her face bearing two near-identical gashes in an X-shape, intersecting on the bridge of her nose. "Never better!"

"Oh," he murmured. "O-Okay." He looked behind him and readied a shuriken, but saw that the malig knight was backing off. Glancing ahead once more, he discovered the reason: Hoshidan reinforcements had arrived. Dozens of kinshi knights, all armed with bows, were approaching fast from the east, far outnumbering the wyverns immediately in pursuit. Accompanying them were a handful of falcon knights, combat medics mounted on falicorns, a variety of pegasus with a single pointed horn in the center of their heads.

"Ha! Score one for Hoshido!" Reina declared triumphantly. "It'll take too long for the brunt of their forces to get here." She playfully punched her ninja passenger in the shoulder. "Mission accomplished, Kaze!" She leaned forward and pet her bird. "And of course, you're amazing as always! Aren't you, Kougou!"

Kaze chuckled halfheartedly. "Thanks," he said quietly. His eyes scanned the air. Miraculously, it seemed that everyone had survived, and thanks to the falcon knights' magical healing rods, they'd be able to keep flying until they were well out of range of Windmire's fliers. From the looks of it, Nohr didn't seek to pursue them further. Satisfied that, at the very least, he hadn't gotten anyone killed, Kaze watched the girl he'd kidnapped wave a falcon knight away. "Who do you think she is?" he asked Reina.

"Hmm...Princess Camilla?" she mused. "No, she looks too young."

He swallowed, a lump forming in his throat. "Gods, I hope she's not some random noble."

"I don't think so, kid. And anyway, you did your job. That's what matters."

The ninja didn't respond to this. He assured himself that she and Saizo must be right, and that the girl would be the key to finally recovering Prince Corrin. He didn't take his eyes off the girl until he noticed her start to nod off, and began to feel tired himself. "Er, Miss Reina, would you mind if I lay on your shoulder?"

The knight laughed. "Can't promise I won't shake you off in an hour, but sure. You've earned it."

"Thanks,"' he murmured, leaning forward and resting his forehead on her. He continued to watch the hostage until his eyes closed on their own.

Princess Azura of Nohr had no tears left to shed that night.


	2. Family

_February, 2003 AD_

Corrin didn't know that anyone was trying to rescue him. The boy couldn't have, because he wasn't in Windmire as the Hoshidans' contact had told them. He lived in the remote Northern Fortress, located, as the name suggests, tucked away in a valley among the northern mountains of Nohr. The sizable, octagonal stone structure occupied an island in the center of Dark Mirror Lake, with the only way in being a broad cobblestone bridge accessible from the south bank. A wide turret occupied each corner of the fortress, and two high towers rose just within the northern face. The shorter of the two housed the soldiers' barracks, while the bedchambers of the servants and civilians occupied the taller tower.

King Garon had placed his captive here a week after Sumeragi died. The official story—based on Corrin's pale skin, snow-white hair, and pointed ears—was that he was an albino, too fragile to wander on his own and too weak to face the people of Nohr at his invincible "father's" side. Garon rarely visited, though Corrin spent a few days at Castle Krakenburg every few months. Garon's children, on the other hand, frequently made the two-and-a-half-day trip to see Corrin, fearing that he would become lonely with only a handful of servants and a battalion to keep him company in the oppressive fortress.

Today was one of the rare days when his sisters, Elise and Camilla, and his brothers, Leo and Xander, were all able to be there together; and it marked the first time Xander had visited at the same time as Corrin's friend from nearby Ettrick, Silas. Corrin's so-called siblings all had various shades of straight blond hair, with the exception of Camilla's wavy lavender locks, and Silas bore a head of silver that resembled Corrin's more than any of the others. The five children—ten-year-olds Corrin and Silas, eight-year-old Leo, and five-year-old Elise—were chasing each other around the fifth floor of the residential tower, while thirteen-year-old Camilla and fifteen-year-old Xander talked in hushed voices about the most recent catastrophe that their father and Queen Mikoto of Hoshido had tried to pass as negotiations. Nothing was ever any different—Mikoto would not give up the lush, uninhabited plains just east of the Bottomless Canyon, and even with his own step-daughter's freedom on the line, Garon would not give up his hostage until his demands were met.

"Sister, please, dry your tears," the crown prince said softly. "The little ones don't need to see you cry."

"Sorry," she replied, quickly running a finger under both her eyes. "I just..."

He shook his head. "Camilla, I can only reassure you so many times. I have no doubt whatsoever that the Hoshidan royal family will have accepted her, just as we've accepted Corrin into our family. Mikoto is known in her country as the 'Mother of Hoshido,' and I've no reason to expect she'd hurt a little girl."

"I...understand that, Brother." The princess huffed, feeling more tears on her cheeks. "That doesn't make me any less desperate to have her back. My sweet, shy little baby sister needs her family!"

The children stomped by again, giggling merrily. As they disappeared around the corner, Xander sighed. "I know I don't have to explain the hypocrisy of that sentiment." Camilla averted her eyes, and he took a half-step closer. "When we bring her home, it will be the day that Corrin—"

"Stop." She turned away from him completely. "I don't want to talk about this any more."

"Camilla, you can't..." Xander broke off when the little ones came racing around the hearth once more. Elise didn't look where she was going and smacked right into Camilla's leg, flopping backwards on her rear.

"Oh! Are you alright?" Camilla fretted, kneeling down to inspect her with far more urgency than Xander thought necessary.

"I'm okay," Elise said, a little shaken but clearly not hurt.

"You're sure?" Camilla felt her sister's forehead. "No bump?"

"Nope."

"Your backside's not sore?"

Elise giggled and shook her head, her curled pigtails flapping all around. "Big Sister, I'm fine!"

The teenager sighed, brushed off the child's dress, and pulled her into a tight hug. She realized that the gesture might seem a tad much, given that they lived together in Castle Krakenburg and saw each other almost every day, but for now, she was just helplessly grateful to still have her adorable baby sister.

Elise was unfazed. "Camilla, why is your chest so big and soft?" she asked, with innocent disregard for context. Her thoughtless, essentially meaningless words filled the silent air, and politics were momentarily forgotten as Xander cringed and quickly guided the boys away.

"Gods, Elise! You _cannot_ just ask a girl that!" the lavender-haired princess said indignantly.

The lads' snickering escalated into outright laughter, to which Xander was quick to sternly respond, "Shush up, you three!" They resumed their giggling the moment he turned away, and he felt the corners of his mouth briefly twitch up with them as he took his littlest sister from Camilla. "Elise," he said calmly to her bewildered face, "you really shouldn't ask other girls about their chests." His brothers and their friend hollered again, and he grinned for a fleeting moment before regaining his composure.

"Why?" Elise asked, her violet eyes twinkling.

"You'll know when you're older," he replied matter-of-factly.

"But—"

"Can you promise..." Now Camilla was laughing, too, making it agonizing to keep a straight face. "...that you won't say things like that anymore?"

Elise looked at her siblings more confused than ever, but nodded at her big brother. "I promise, Xander."

"Good," he said, setting her down and letting his serious expression dissolve. "Good. Good gods!"

Glancing between her hysterical elders, Elise couldn't help but begin laughing along, too.

()

After dinner, it was far too cold outside to practice swordplay, so Corrin and Xander faced each other in the living-room for the former's training. They each wore leather padding and wielded simple wooden swords. Camilla, Elise, Leo, and Silas crowded together on a red velvet couch by the softly crackling fire, watching intently and wondering how long it would take before the Crown Prince let Corrin land a hit.

Xander held his arms apart, welcoming an attack. "Come on, Corrin. Hit me! I know you've got it in you."

The warrior-in-training hefted his mighty sword, threw his body behind his blow...and missed completely. Xander's face fell briefly. "No, Corrin. Firm, but light! Make me dance around your blade. Keep the flow of battle under your control."

Corrin came at his brother again, this time with more controlled swings, and Xander was able to at least pretend to exert effort in dodging each attack. "Yes, that's better! Don't let up; Hoshidan warriors love their counterattacks. Keep the pressure on!" He parried a couple of Corrin's hits, almost letting himself be struck. "That's it, that's it...but watch out!" he shouted just before bringing his sword down leisurely at Corrin's head. Corrin quickly (at least, by his standards) raised his own wooden blade to block, then dashed forward to get behind Xander's defenses. Xander was almost caught off guard, and decided that Corrin had earned a hit. "Agh!" he grunted as he received the light blow to the gut. Their audience cheered at the display, but to his credit, the lad maintained his focus. Corrin landed one more strike on his brother's side, then seemed to back off.

Xander let two seconds pass, trying to make it obvious that the opening was still there. This had been a frequent issue in their recent training sessions. Corrin was far too worried about causing his brother even a little harm, and despite the great promise he showed with the techniques he used on training dummies, the boy's progress in their sparring matches had slowed drastically. Before he'd even arrived, the Crown Prince had decided how the problem ought to be addressed, though he'd maintained a vain hope that Corrin would not need the harsh lesson.

Rather disappointedly, he began striking back. His wooden blade found its mark easily, hitting Corrin just hard enough to make him feel it through the armor, and batting the boy's sword away when he tried to shield himself. A few times, Corrin nearly flinched right into his brother's weapon, and Xander had to take care not to strike his head. Eventually, Corrin's sword escaped his failing grip, and he cowered away pathetically. Xander did not relent.

"Xander, that's enough!" Camilla declared, standing abruptly from the sofa and nearly knocking Silas from his perch on the arm. Elise shared her sister's look of concern, while Leo tried to hide a snicker. Sighing deeply, Xander halted his assault. He pointed his sword under Corrin's chin, forcing his brother to look up at him. Xander refused to shy away from Corrin's eyes, which were watering noticeably and conveyed a feeling akin to betrayal.

"I...I'm sorry, Xander..." the child said quietly, nearing tears.

"Corrin," the Crown Prince started, choosing his words carefully, "you mustn't let up during a duel. For any reason, understand? When you think you've injured your opponent, when you let up, is when they strike back hardest." He thought of Azura again; how Hoshido had stolen her away years after Corrin's capture, just when it seemed Mikoto would finally surrender the plains in exchange for her son. "Obviously, I don't expect you to want to hurt a brother. But I can take it." He pounded his padded chest twice for effect. "Next time, throw everything you have against me."

Corrin didn't seem like he was cheered whatsoever by Xander's lecture, so Camilla stepped in with a smile. "Well, that's enough training for one night." She shot her older brother a brief glare to silence his obvious protest, to which Xander responded by turning away. "Corrin, why don't we check out this bird I hear you and Silas have rescued?"

That got Corrin to perk up immediately. "Oh yeah! I found her in the snow a couple of weeks ago. Her name is Lilith, and she loves to eat!" He haphazardly shed his padding and took her by the hand, leading her to the stairwell while Silas chimed in,

"Like, she _reaaally_ loves to eat."

Xander frowned as he watched the pair leave, folding his arms out of habit. Camilla's gentle, doting nature was certainly necessary in his siblings' lives—she carried the roles of both sister and mother in their rather peculiar family. Yet her interference in their training would need to stop immediately; and for that matter, she needed to double down on her own training with her wyvern. He would have to have a word with her before they left the fortress.

Suddenly, Leo and Elise interrupted his thoughts by leaping onto his back in a carefully coordinated sneak attack. Caught off guard, he laughed and overdramatically brought them all to the floor, allowing them to pin him down for a few seconds before tossing them both back onto the couch.

()

"Oh my," Camilla gasped upon seeing the bird, which was awake but docile. It lay on the mahogany nightstand by Corrin's simple bed, which stood in the middle of his neat, dimly lit room. She glanced at the two boys, who walked over to Lilith and began gently stroking her. The feathery creature had a long body, but a small wingspan. Its eyes were a bright amber color, its back shone bright blue with a red streak down its spine, and its front and the undersides of its wings were white. The princess had never seen anything quite like it.

"Isn't she pretty, sister?" Corrin said, his excitement making him a bit louder than he meant to be. "Miss Daniela thinks that she's an undiscovered species!"

"She's beautiful, Corrin. And so friendly!" Camilla marveled. She reached out to pet the top of Lilith's head with her finger, and the bird nuzzled gently into her hand. "Is she hurt anywhere?"

"I don't know," Corrin admitted. "I think she must've hurt her wing, since she can't fly so well."

"Check this out!" Silas said. He grabbed a bread roll from a nearby bowl and held it out to Lilith. She pecked lightly at it, then tore it apart with startling force and devoured the whole thing in a few seconds.

Camilla was almost shocked. "Er...wow," she managed. "She...really does have quite the appetite. And you've been feeding her regularly?"

Corrin nodded. "Yep, she eats four times a day, so I usually give her something different each time. She doesn't seem to care what she eats, but she won't eat unless I hand the food to her."

"Huh." Feeling she had nothing more to add about the creature's eating habits, Camilla shifted her focus to its apparent injury. "You said she can't fly well. She can fly, then?"

"Uh-huh." Corrin nudged Lilith forward. "Can you fly for Camilla, Lilith? Please?" The bird tweeted softly, then hopped off the table and flapped her wings. She circled around their heads a couple of times, looking fairly steady, and landed without incident. "Huh," the prince muttered. "I guess she's better."

Silas shrugged. "Well that's good."

Camilla was visibly confused. "Um, Corrin...I think Lilith is healthy enough to fly away."

"Yeah..." he said, as puzzled as she was. "But I don't think she would—"

Lilith chose that moment to take off and leave through the open window. She soared effortlessly over the calm lake, past the craggy cliffs dotted with moss and spindly trees, and disappeared over the hills. The two royals stood silently, both stunned by the ridiculous timing. Camilla glanced at her brother, expecting tears, but he instead started to chuckle. "Heh...Well, uh, that was Lilith, I guess. Pffft-hahaha!"

Camilla started laughing with him, relieved that Corrin was taking this in good humor. He always had been one to find the bright side of any situation, a talent that he certainly hadn't learned from his siblings or the King. She wondered if it was a Hoshidan trait, but dismissed the thought instantly. In her mind, Corrin wasn't a Hoshidan at all. He was just her sweet, kind little brother.

"Well that was, if nothing else, a fun little diversion," she remarked.

"Haha, guess so." Suddenly, Corrin's grin largely faded. "Camilla, I think I want to fight Xander again."

Her face fell. "Oh, gods. Whatever for, sweetheart?"

Silas nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Corrin. He didn't seem too happy when he was beating the hell out of you."

"Language, please," Camilla chided.

"He barely gets to visit anymore," Corrin said guiltily. "He's always stuck in the castle with Father, or out doing missions. I shouldn't skip on him."

"You don't need to spar every minute you're with him, sweetie."

"I know. But I can't _avoid_ training with him."

The quip brought back his sister's smile. "And you never have. Just now, even when you lost your sword, you didn't run away. You stood your ground as long as you could. I think that shows you've learned more than just swordplay from Xander."

The boy perked up. "You think so?"

"Of course! Matter of fact, I get the feeling that's exactly what he's trying to do—turn you into a big, tough Xander Junior. Pretty soon he'll start combing your hair like that silly arch he has."

The trio shared a giggling fit. The Crown Prince truly needed a new hairdresser, preferably one who knew how to cut bangs instead of combing them upward and outward. "I hope not!" Corrin said. "But…" He coughed. "I still think I should train a little longer. I know Xander's not trying to make me feel bad. He just wants me to be strong enough to defend myself. I need to learn how to fight like a real man!" He puffed out his chest, earning laughter from his companions.

"Well then," his sister sighed, kissing him on the forehead. "I suppose we shouldn't keep him waiting."

"Okay! C'mon!" Corrin took her hand and energetically tugged her along as he ran from the room with Silas trailing close behind, slowing only when Camilla called for him to watch the stairs.

()

"The story of Siegfried, the blade Father gave to me," Xander told Leo and Elise, who listened intently on either side of him, "is a fantastical tale going back generations!" He stopped when Camilla and the boys returned. "How is the bird?" he asked, hiding his disappointment over his pathetically short training session with the young prince. Corrin surprised him by hurriedly gathering his leather padding off the floor and replacing it over his clothes, allowing Camilla to secure the laces of his armguards.

"She flew away," he said simply. "Brother, I'd like to train some more."

Xander smiled. "I suppose I didn't bruise you too bad earlier?" Ignoring the younger children's pleas to tell his story, he rose from the sofa and grabbed his wooden sword, which was leaning against the side. Camilla took his place, hugging both of the little ones close while being careful to keep Elise away from her chest. Silas hopped back up on the arm of the couch by Leo's side.

"Nope," the boy replied with a smirk. "I'm good to go!"

"Kick his butt, Corrin!" Silas yelled, earning a light punch from the youngest prince.

"Ha! Very well, Corrin," the crown prince said. "Whenever you're ready, come at me! Remember: if you have an opening, do not relent. You _must_ really try to hurt me." Corrin picked up his sword off the floor and raised it with both hands, stepping slowly toward his brother. Xander swung first, catching Corrin off guard, but kept his blade far away enough that he knew he wouldn't actually land a hit. Corrin managed to parry only a little late, and followed the move up by advancing on his opponent while keeping their swords locked together. He went around Xander's left side, to which Xander responded with a horizontal slice. Again, Corrin parried the blow and began hitting Xander as hard as he could. As he'd been told, his attacks were easily stopped by the firm armor. Corrin resolved to deform it, hoping with all his heart to finally impress his siblings. "Excellent!" Xander exclaimed. "I'm not done yet, though. Watch out!" He jabbed his wooden blade at Corrin and was, yet again, satisfyingly deflected. Several more counterattacks were parried with a natural grace that, while nowhere near the caliber of the Crown Prince, was highly impressive in a child Corrin's age. Each successful guard was followed up by a relentless assault that Xander hoped would also become characteristic of his brother's fighting style.

Deciding he'd been sufficiently beaten for now, Xander let himself fall backwards as if the force of the attacks had crippled him. "No more, Brother! I yield!" he cried in an exaggerated tone.

Corrin breathed heavily, exhausted. He smiled and chuckled, letting the tip of his sword hit the floor. His sisters on the couch cheered, a "Woo, Big Brother!" from Elise and a "Great job, Corrin!" from Camilla. Silas whooped and hollered, and even Leo, the stoic little critic, looked impressed. Xander stood and clapped him on the back. "Excellent work, Corrin!" he said excitedly. "This was a major breakthrough for you, today. I want you to keep training with the guards, and don't forget to practice blows to the head on the straw dummies."

"I will, Xander!" Corrin declared. "Someday, I'll be as strong as you!"

The teen beamed, ecstatic that soft-spoken Corrin might actually become a warrior worthy of Nohrian royalty. "Well, with that enthusiasm, of course you will!" He hoisted Corrin onto his shoulder and paraded his brother over to their siblings, allowing the other children to climb him as well. He kept laughing, but mouthed "help" to Camilla when he found himself over-encumbered. The force of her own cackling at his predicament nearly brought her to tears as she helped him lower the kids to the floor.

Leo gestured eagerly to the others. "Hey guys! I can make a real fireball now! You wanna see?" The others responded with even greater enthusiasm, and the quartet dashed off to the boy's guest bedroom.

When they had all disappeared down the hall, Camilla turned to Xander. "Gods, Father might let Corrin leave the fortress after all," she said, a tinge of distress evident in her voice.

"Indeed," Xander responded plainly. "...Does that upset you, Sister?"

"Well of course it does!" she snapped back. "For one thing, I'm worried Father will send him off to war. He's too sweet for such a traumatizing ordeal! Of course, the same goes for Elise, but she's more likely to be a cleric than a myrmidon. Leo, I think, could handle himself just fine, but..." She trailed off, then picked up elsewhere. "And then there's Hoshido!" She looked around cautiously, continuing in a whisper. "What if he discovers that we aren't his blood family? What if—?"

Xander raised his hands to halt her. "Sister, please, calm yourself. To answer your first concern, I think Corrin will be strong enough in both body and mind to wage war, when the time comes. For the other, I say that Corrin loves us as much as we love him." He sighed deeply. "Of course, he'll have to learn the truth someday. When we get Azura back and our family is whole again..." He felt his voice breaking, not as sure of himself as he seemed to be. "...then we will tell him the truth. And we will love him exactly as we have always loved him, and he'll do the same for us."

"And what if it does come to war with Hoshido?" she demanded. Xander cringed and gestured for her to lower her voice, which she did. "We can't force him to fight against them." She stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to offer a solution. "Well say something, dammit!"

"I don't know, Camilla," he said softly. "We couldn't possibly reach a peaceful resolution while Corrin is in Nohr. All that matters is that he knows he's loved here, and when the time comes...we'll just have to see how things play out."

Camilla dried her tears on her sleeves. "Not the most reassuring speech," she complained. She then hugged Xander suddenly, and he hugged her back without hesitation. "You're right about one thing for sure," she said. "Of course he'll still love us. He's our little Corrin."

"Always."

A gruff voice spoke up across the room. "Pardon me, milord and milady. Supper will be ready shortly."

"Wonderful," Xander replied, releasing his sister. "Thank you, Sir Gunter."

"Shall I collect the children?" Gunter asked. Few dark hairs remained among the gray atop the aging knight's visage, but his dignified attitude and the broad muscles that lingered beneath his suit testified to his past as a warrior.

The prince waved him off. "Thanks, but that won't be necessary. We'll get them."

"As you wish." Gunter nodded and walked away, his polished shoes clicking along the tile.

A thought crossed the Camilla's clearing mind. "Er, perhaps we shouldn't have let them alone with a Fire tome anyway."

"Haha...oh."

The prince and princess shared a glance, then took off jogging up the stairs to Leo's room, where three of their four other siblings were—of course—safely and responsibly practicing pyromancy.

()

"It smells scrumptious!" Camilla remarked. "Give my compliments to the chef, Miss Daniela."

"Will that be all?" the maid asked plainly. Her tone made it clear she was hoping for a "yes."

"It will. Thank you."

The Nohrian royal heirs and their guest were seated around a dining table comfortably sized for six, with Xander and Corrin at the ends. Before each of them lay two porcelain plates, one carrying a bright scarlet lobster, and the other a buttered roll and an array of steamed carrots and beans. A silver platter of watermelon slices and grapes occupied the center of the table.

"So tell me, Silas," Xander said, cracking into a claw. The boy looked up from his conversation about Leo's impressive fire magic. "How is Ettrick faring through the drought?"

"Um, okay, I think."

Camilla shot her brother a look. "Don't trouble him, Xander. You can head to Ettrick on your route home and speak with Lord Silvanus."

"I'm curious to hear it from Silas," Xander insisted. "If he doesn't mind, of course."

Silas shook his head. "I on' migh…" He swallowed his mouthful of carrots. "Sorry. I don't mind, Your Highness."

"Excellent." Xander sipped from his glass of wine and set it down. "Is the Cadgill still flowing strong?"

"The water's always lower in the winter, but I think it's fine." Silas paused to slurp the meat out of the end of a leg. "Although, my friend Cat's mom said to enjoy the river in the summer, because in a few years it'll be dry. I don't know if she knows about that stuff, but she's not a peasant."

"How can a river be dry?" Corrin asked.

"When there's no water in it," Leo suggested with a roll of his eyes.

"Okay, yeah, but you know what I mean. The Cadgill supplies all the water in Ettrick. How could it just dry up?"

"It won't," Xander stated. "Not soon, anyway. But the water's receding because the sun has been so scarce the past few years, and without sunlight, there's no snowmelt to feed the river."

"And that's why we've just got carrots and beans," Leo added.

Camilla frowned at Xander again. "Brother, I insist you stop this. We don't need such dire talk at the dinner table."

He sighed. "Very well. Let's have something cheery, then. How's everyone's horseback riding coming along?"

"Ooh! Me, me!" Elise piped up, dropping her fork onto the floor and waving her hand in the air. Camilla chuckled and grabbed her a spare from the silverware basket on the table.

"Go ahead, Elise," Xander said.

"I love Silver sooo much!" the child squealed. "He's such a nice horsey, and I can almost climb up on him without Cammy helping!"

"That's wonderful, sweetheart."

"He really is a great horse," Camilla added. "Such a sweet temperament, and so obedient. Perfect for a new learner."

"And how about you, Leo?" Xander inquired. "You were getting good at directing your horse—Astra, was it?"

"Yeah, Astra's the best!" the young mage declared. "We impressed Father by running a new course in just a couple of minutes!"

"Really? I wish I could've been there."

"But Xander, when am I going to start learning to fight on horseback?"

"Ha! You'll have to be patient for that, I'm afraid. You need to be able to fight on your own feet before you can safely swing a sword atop a mount."

"I guess," Leo agreed. "When did you start fighting on horseback?"

"Oh, I was older than Corrin is now, Brother. You'll get there."

"If you say so."

"And, Corrin. How—"

"Xander, can you, er…not ask me?" Corrin requested, shrinking in his seat.

The Crown Prince lowered his head. "Not well, eh?"

His brother shook his head.

"Well, that's perfectly fine. I think you'll be more than adequate on foot in a few years' time, anyhow." Seeing Corrin perk back up, he smirked and gripped his glass. "And who knows, maybe riding will come to you naturally." After another sip, he turned to Silas. "How about you? Are you being trained for combat?"

"Yes, milord!" Silas replied. "Father says I'm the future of Ettrick, so I need to be a figure our people can be prideful of."

"That's fantastic," Xander praised. "Perhaps we ought to arrange for you and my brothers to spar regularly."

The boys shouted their approval at once, drowning out each other's words. Xander laughed and raised his hand. "Alright, alright. Settle down. You know this wouldn't just be a play date. Gunter will be making sure you're using the correct forms."

"Prince Xander?" Gunter spoke from the doorway.

The prince turned in his chair. "Speak of the devil. What is it, Sir Gunter?"

"You're needed at the gate, milord. The, ah…new help has arrived, sir."

"…I see." Xander set his silverware down and slid his chair back from the table. "I'll go at once."

"I'll come too," Camilla said, rising to follow him.

"No!" he protested, a bit too roughly. "Please, everyone just stay here, for now."

"My new maids are here, right?" Corrin asked.

"Corrin, I said to stay in your seat."

"New maids?" Elise repeated, pushing her torso up onto the table.

"Why can't I see them?" Corrin pressed.

"Please!" Xander took a breath. "Relax and finish your meal. The girls are going to be nervous, being so far from home. Be patient, and let them introduce themselves when they're ready."

To his relief, Corrin relaxed in his chair. "Okay. I hope they don't take long."

"Yes, well, don't rush them," the Crown Prince reminded him. "Let's be off, Gunter."

The moment he turned the corner from the dining room, Xander felt his legs up their pace on their own. Realistically, the situation required no urgency, but the nature of the coming encounter had weighed heavily on his mind for days. Numerous times he'd arrested thieves and put brigands to the sword without pause, but escorting slaves to their new master was far and away the cruelest task he'd undertaken. And never had he imposed the harsh chains of the law upon the heads of innocent children.

The front gate stood open to receive them. Mistress Daniela, the young Head of Staff at the Northern Fortress, was just outside, speaking to a pair of little girls dressed up in the impractical garb of Nohrian maids. Their short black skirts flared sharply outward, held stiff by the thin wire cages within, and each had been made to don a frilled white headband. They stood side-by-side, tightly gripping each other's hand.

"Mistress Daniela," Xander called.

The pale woman turned on her heel. She wore a dark brown cloak over a dignified suit, and an exasperated frown across her face. "Took your time, Your Highness?"

"No, as a matter of fact, I did not. I feared your indolent crassness might be ill-fit for the current situation."

"O-Of course, my lord. My apologies." Daniela took a step back as the prince approached the children.

He eyed the twins curiously. The cobblestone at their feet had developed a thin layer of frost absent from the rest of the ground. Even the air felt chiller near them, as if the pair radiated cold. They shared the same face, with differences only in their hair and eye colors. One had pink hair with icy blue eyes, while the other sported ice-blue hair and gray eyes. At the base of their necks, each girl had fastened a large topaz bearing the color of their sibling's hair.

"Welcome to the Northern Fortress," Xander said warmly. "Might I have your names, girls?"

They remained silent. The pink-haired one trembled as she looked up at him, while her sister eyed the floor defiantly and tried to hide her tears.

 _'They can't be older than Corrin,'_ Xander thought. _'Damn it, Father. Was this the only solution?'_

"Why don't we go inside?" he invited. Still he received no response. He sighed and knelt down on one knee, bringing his face level with theirs. "You don't have to speak. Just look at me, and nod or shake your heads. Okay?"

The pink-haired girl began to bawl, and buried her head in her sister's shoulder. Her sister hugged her and made an effort to scowl at Xander, but found herself too choked up to hold the expression. The temperature seemed to fall further, causing him to shiver, and the frost spread further over the stones.

 _'Where the hell is the justice in this?'_

"I understand how difficult this must be," Xander tried again. "I would like to make this castle a home for you, if you'll let me." He reached out slowly for the blue-haired one's hand, startled when she drew away.

"Take us back to Papa," she said between sobs, as forcefully as any ten-year-old could.

"Did the soldiers hurt you?" Xander questioned. "Are you both okay?"

"Take us to Papa!"

"Please, I need—"

"Take us to Papa! Take us to Papa!"

Xander dipped his head and exhaled. The girl continued to scream at him for a minute, then two, and perhaps five or more before she gave up the futile act. He raised just his eyes, finding that the anger in her glare had given way to hopelessness. She wasn't quite so young as to truly misunderstand her condition. Two weeks of being shuttled northward couldn't be reversed by so powerless a thing as the word of a child prince.

He placed a hand over his chest. "My name is Xander," he said. "Could I have yours?"

The blue-haired girl continued to stare at him. Her sister's head shuffled, leaving the nest it had made in her shoulder.

"I-I'm Fe…Fel…eesh…a…"

Xander smiled. "Felicia?"

The pink-haired one—Felicia—sniffled. "Uh-huh."

"Thank you, Felicia. Welcome to the Northern Fortress." He looked to her sister. The cold snap had begun to subside. "And your name?"

She thought about it a moment longer. "Flora," she said, releasing Felicia with one hand to dry her cheeks.

The prince nodded. "Well met, Flora and Felicia. Now then…" He rose to his feet. "Do you wish to wait here any longer, or shall we go inside?"

The twins faced each other, and Flora wiped a tear from Felicia's chin. "We'll—" She sniffled. "—come in, Xander."

"Excellent. Mistress Daniela will…er, or would you rather _I_ showed you to your quarters?" he proposed.

"You," she said immediately.

He chuckled, and beckoned them inside. "Come along then. The staff will be eager to meet you. Not to mention, the Fortress' master, my brother Corrin. Come to think of it…" He lifted a hand to his chin as if deep in thought. "Corrin is about your age."

"Really?" Felicia piped up.

As they walked, the gates clicked softly shut behind them. In an instant, the gray light of day was replaced with the orange glow of the braziers, and the bracing mountain air had given way to homely warmth as the Ice Tribe girls found their new home in Nohr's coziest prison.


	3. Another Family

_"Hey, wake up!" Kamui rolled over groggily in bed, recognizing Elise's voice beyond her door. The chipper girl knocked twice. "Come on, sleepyhead, it's almost midday! You'll be asleep when Xander arrives!"_

 _The older teenager sat up, brushing her long, dark red hair out of her face and holding her aching head. As her senses sharpened, a wave of nausea passed over her, but before long she felt normal. She rose from the bed and walked to the door. When she opened it, Elise immediately encompassed her in a tight hug. "Good morning!" the Nohrian princess said cheerfully. Kamui returned a much looser hug, wondering why her sister's touch felt...off. It was a completely normal gesture from Elise, but some odd, unplaceable force made Kamui uneasy._

 _The walls of the Northern Fortress felt unfamiliar, despite the fact that she had lived here all her life. She was already clad in tights and her custom armor, white with black and blue highlights and an intentionally missing section on her upper thighs to improve mobility. She drew her sword, finding it completely foreign to her, its design unlike any Hoshidan or Nohrian weapon she had seen. The straight, thick blade bore bizarre engravings, the most striking of which were four round, shallow holes cut into the flat on one side. The ornate hand guard curved upward and inward, ending in sharp points that nearly touched the blade, and the design was mirrored at the base of the hilt. The entire weapon seemed to be made from the same odd metal, closer in color to yellow than gold._

 _A chilling gust of wind stole her attention as she stepped onto the roof, under a shifting sky of foreboding dark clouds. Before her stood her older brother, Crown Prince Xander, clad in his own armor of black Nohrian steel with golden accents. He drew his sword, the magically empowered weapon Siegfried. Its black blade, slit down the middle from the tip to a small ruby set in the wide base, glowed with an otherworldly, blood-red energy. Despite the dreary weather, Siegfried's pure golden hilt seemed to radiate light._

 _"Ah, there you are," Xander remarked happily. "I see you were able to drag yourself out of bed today!" He held his arms out by his sides, leaving himself exposed. "Come, try to leave a mark today! I know you've got it in you."_

 _Determined to prove her strength, Kamui stepped forward. She struck unpredictably, switching from a high stance to a low stance and alternating between vertical and horizontal slashes. Her blade sought his armpits, his neck, the backs of his knees—all of the weak spots in his armor. He struggled to block her attacks. "Gods! You've improved, but you're fighting like..." He grimaced as the golden sword grazed his side, a feat that his sibling should not have been able to accomplish. "...like a Hoshidan. GRRAH!" He cast her sword away with a mighty swing, and she was forced back to keep her grip on it. He gazed at her in shock. "You...you aren't Corrin!"_

 _"Corrin?" Kamui asked, completely baffled. "Of course not. I'm Princess Kamui of Hoshido." She narrowed her eyes. "Wait...you...you aren't my brother!"_

 _He lunged forward, and she was pushed back to the edge of the roof. She simply wasn't strong enough to keep up her defense, and he knocked her blade aside again and again. After what felt like a lifetime, she let her arms fall to her sides. The golden sword slid from her grasp, toppling off the tower. The man, whose identity she had forgotten, sliced her abdomen open in one clean swing. His blade seemed to ignore her armor completely. She slipped off the edge, her limbs going limp as she spasmed and coughed, choking on her own blood. She closed her eyes and felt the wind rush through her hair. The questions nagging her mind, "Who is he?" and "Where am I?", disappeared into the void. The world itself disappeared, and all that remained was pain._

()

 _March, 2009 AD_

"...wake up! Kamui, are you really still asleep?"

Kamui's eyes shot open. She sat upright, tightly clutching the light red sheets of her bed to her chest. Slowly, she relaxed as she recognized her chambers in Castle Shirasagi. Her hand went to her gut—still intact, thank the gods. The bizarre fight with the Nohrian stranger had only been a dream. Yet...she had known his name. It now escaped her, but her opponent had had a name, as well as the young girl she had hugged. Were they simply creations of her subconscious?

"Damn it, Kamui! You missed breakfast!" Takumi was calling her from just beyond her door, on which he pounded furiously. She wondered briefly why her brother cared so much about her sleeping habits, and quickly guessed that Mother had asked him to rouse her.

"Yeah, I hear you, Takumi!" she yelled back. "I'm up! Just give me a couple of minutes to get dressed."

"Finally!" he exclaimed. "I've been standing here for at least five minutes. I would've just barged in and shook you awake, but Hinoka tells me not to do that to a girl. So, I have to..."

Kamui was not listening anymore. As she dressed in a simple, blue summertime kimono, she continued thinking about the people in her dream. She kept trying to remember their names. She didn't know any Nohrians, so placing their faces would be impossible. Yet she couldn't shake the feeling that something about them was real, and...familiar.

She opened the door, interrupting what she assumed to be Takumi's life story. "Oh, hey," he said plainly, straightening his clothes. His abundant silver hair was tied back, ending just below his head, and his bangs were becoming rather long. "You're up. Er, good. Let's go, then. Mother's worried you haven't been eating enough."

Kamui smiled sadly. "Oh, you know Mother. She's worried about everything."

They walked together to the dining hall. Sakura greeted them at the open door, her food long-since eaten and her rather generous patience wearing thin. "Oh, K-Kamui! I didn't think you were c-coming." The twelve-year-old princess' stammer was, unfortunately, as prominent as ever. Her reddish-orange hair was tied back in a bun, and she wore a plain white kimono. Kamui was certain she owned one for every day of the month. "I...I...er..."

"Good morning, Sister," Kamui said hurriedly. "Is Mother inside?"

"Um, y-yes."

"Thank you." Kamui briefly hugged her sibling before moving past her and into the hall. Queen Mikoto was seated at the far corner of the table, with Hinoka by her side and Ryoma just across from her. Each of them was dressed casually. The trio waved Kamui over.

"There you are, Kamui!" Mikoto said with her usual warm smile. "Please sit down. We have some rather important business to discuss." Kamui took the seat next to her older brother, quickly digging into the plate of food in front of her, and Takumi sat beside her. Sakura shrank into the seat beside her older sister. The queen cleared her throat, her face turning grim. "Now then, Ryoma, please begin."

"Yes, Mother." The crown prince quickly laid out geographical and political maps of the continent. "We've had confirmed reports of Nohrians and their Faceless monsters on this side of the Bottomless Canyon." He gestured to two spots near the southern coast. "Here and here are where they were seen. However, there have also been unconfirmed reports all along the canyon. Here, here, here, here, and here."

Hinoka frowned. "So they're scouting the entire continent? That sounds like a preparation for war."

Ryoma nodded. "If they're bringing Faceless, then I can't imagine any other intent."

"So what are we doing about it?" Takumi asked impatiently.

"That's what I want to ask you all," Mikoto announced. "Or, rather, what _should_ we be doing? You know I'm no military strategist, and General Yukimura is still in Izumo. However, this issue requires some immediate action."

Kamui swallowed a mouthful of rice. "Well, we shouldn't do anything too rash, or else things will just keep escalating. For now, I think we should issue a declaration to Nohr telling them to keep out of Hoshido's borders."

"But we can't risk harm to our villages," Ryoma offered. "We should also double our border patrols. Just keep them under strict orders not to engage Nohrian soldiers in combat, unless they or the villagers are under attack."

"That's not enough," Takumi asserted. "Our border is clear enough—it's a massive ravine. If our soldiers find Nohrians in our borders, we should capture them!"

"Hmm..." Mikoto mused. "No, I think Ryoma is right. King Garon is a warmonger; he's proven that much. He would certainly use captured scouts as an excuse to go to war. When Yukimura last convened with the Nohrian royal advisor, he was told that Garon's patience was wearing thin regarding...his daughter." She choked up on the last words. Princess Azura was a difficult subject for her to talk about, even eight years after the girl's kidnapping. Despite her efforts to block out the pain in her heart, their hostage always reminded her of her own missing son, bringing her a painful mixture of longing to have him back and guilt for taking Garon's child.

Hinoka sat awkwardly, leaning slightly away from her step-mother. "If I could, Mother, I would like to join the sky knight patrol west of Kitsune's Hamlet."

Mikoto tried to develop a reason to deny Hinoka's request, but drew a blank. Silencing her maternal instinct, she instead responded, "Well, I suppose you are an adult..."

"Of course I am, mother!" the princess insisted. "I'm nineteen years old—"

"I know—"

"—and I have extensive training."

"I know, Hinoka. I know." The queen's frown did not leave her. "I'll see you get a spot on the patrol."

Hinoka's face lit up. Takumi scoffed. "Don't get a big head, Sister. It's a non-combatant role."

"All the better, Takumi," Ryoma scolded. "We'd prefer not to need any combatants."

"Yeah, whatever," the younger boy sighed. "I just want to feather some Nohrians."

"Takumi!" Mikoto snapped. "I will not tolerate such mindless statements! Please, think before you speak."

"Oh come on!" he protested. "When Ryoma goes out and kills some bandits, it's all praise!"

"Hey, relax," Ryoma complained.

"That's not why Ryoma fights!" Kamui declared. "He only kills out of necessity, to protect the innocent from harm. Not for—"

Mikoto stood abruptly. "Both of you, enough!" The teens muttered apologies. Looking to change the subject, she breathed deeply and said, "It's Azura's sixteenth birthday today."

Kamui perked up at that. "Oh, right! I promised her we'd go to the hot springs together. She said, and I quote, 'That sounds nice,' which is probably the most excited I've ever heard her."

"I bought her some jewelry in town," Ryoma said with a smile. "A necklace, some earrings, and a bracelet. The shop had an interesting style that seemed to use Nohrian elements, though I'm far from a connoisseur."

"Um," Sakura mumbled, speaking for the first time since she sat down. "I baked h-her a pie. Er, is that a-all right, M-Mother?"

"That's wonderful, Sakura," Mikoto assured. "Of course, I did bake a cake, but I know she'll enjoy your gift just as much!" Her daughter seemed to become even smaller in the face of her praise. This time, the queen managed to prevent a sigh leaving her lips.

Takumi's arms were folded loosely across his chest. His mother's eyes were on him, so he figured it was his turn. "I talked to Oboro, the tailors' daughter, about giving Azura some fashion design lessons. Y'know, since she makes a lot of her own outfits."

"Wow, Takumi," Kamui said skeptically. "I'm impressed. Did Mother put you up to that?"

"Yeah," he admitted without a second thought. "Just, uh, don't tell Oboro that."

"It was very nice of you, Takumi," Mikoto patronized. He groaned quietly in response. "What about you, Hinoka?" she asked, turning to her step-daughter.

"I think I should report to Captain Miazaki," the princess replied with unmistakable bitterness.

Mikoto frowned. "Hinoka, your patrol won't leave until dawn two days from now. You can speak with her later."

"Mikoto—I mean, Mother," the redhead quickly corrected. "A soldier needs to—"

"I know what 'a soldier needs to' do, Hinoka." The queen delivered the kind of motherly glare that could stop a dragon in its tracks. Despite her gentle nature, the gesture was as successful as it had been since the earliest days of humanity, and Hinoka sank back into her chair with her arms crossed. "Right now, 'a soldier' needs to be here for a sixteen-year-old girl's birthday."

"...Yes, Mother," Hinoka grumbled reluctantly. "I can fly Azura and Kamui out to the springs on my pegasus."

"Really? Thanks, big sis!" Kamui shrieked. The younger princess savored every opportunity to fly simply because she loved being airborne, and seeing the world laid out beneath her. She would sometimes pretend she could order the people on the ground about, like a general. However, her difficulties wielding naginatas and controlling pegasi, along with her natural affinity for swords, had long since ruled her out from becoming a Sky Knight. Instead, she trained under Ryoma as a samurai, confined to the ground.

Mikoto clapped her hands together. "Alright! Now then, how about we find Azura and wish her a happy birthday?" Her request was met with varying levels of enthusiasm, but at the very least, nobody declined. That made her happy.

Kamui, Hinoka, Takumi, and Sakura stood and started toward Azura's quarters. Only the queen and her step-son remained. Ryoma rolled up his maps and rose from the table. "Ryoma?" implored Mikoto.

"Yes, Mother?"

She eyed the floor. "Do you truly think that Garon will instigate a war?"

He sighed. "I do. We've offered to exchange our captives at least twenty times, and each time he demands that we give up more and more of our land as well. He cares more for conquest than to reunite the families he has broken."

Mikoto turned away. "Sometimes—gods, I always kick myself for this—sometimes I think that we should be the ones to invade." She realized her hands were clenched into tight fists. "To finally be rid of the monster who murdered Sumeragi, and now threatens our home."

"I understand, Mother," Ryoma said grimly. "I've thought the same thing."

()

Azura's quarters were added on to the castle shortly after she was brought in by Takahiro and Mei's team. A small section of the gardens adjacent to the rear wall had been cleared to construct a modest bedroom and connected bathroom. Though they shared a wall with the main structure, the only door had to be accessed from the garden. By Mikoto's efforts to create a comfortable environment for her prisoner, Azura had been given a large, plush bed, an elegant mahogany desk, a crystal mirror, and a closet stuffed with elegant dresses of both Hoshidan and Nohrian design. Despite this, the Nohrian princess spent nearly all of her time out by the pond at the edge of the gardens. She rarely interacted with any of the castle's other residents of her own accord, though Mikoto often requested her presence at the dinner table and at the occasional party or festival. Now, as Kamui knocked on the door for the third time, it was evident that Azura didn't change her routine today.

"Alright, then," Kamui said. "Let's head to the lake. Oh, wait, here she comes!"

"Oh darn," Mikoto complained. "I was hoping to surprise her. Hello, Azura!" she called out.

"Hello, milady," the bluette said softly. She eyed the cake and pie in Mikoto and Sakura's arms. "Are those for me?"

"Mm-hmm!" Sakura nodded, a light blush creeping over her face. "I th-thought I'd b-b-bake you someth-something this year."

Azura smiled. "That's so nice! Thank you, Sakura."

"And after we eat, Hinoka is taking us to the Wakagaeri Springs north of town!" Kamui declared, beaming widely and practically bouncing with excitement.

"That will be wonderful!"

Ryoma stepped forward with the jewelry case he'd purchased. "I bought you some jewelry I thought you'd like. Happy birthday, Azura."

She flicked open the brass lock and lifted the lid of the wooden box. "It's all lovely! Thank you, Ryoma."

Mikoto nudged Takumi, who was leaning against the wall absentmindedly. "Huh? Oh, right," he said. "Azura, I, uh...would you be interested in having a friend of mine over tomorrow to teach you some tailoring and fashion design, uh, stuff? She's the daughter of a prominent tailor couple, and she's...well, she's nice."

Azura nodded. "Sure. I think that would be fun. What's her name?"

"Oboro."

"Oh, I do know of her. We've never talked, though."

"Wonderful," Mikoto remarked. "Now then, why don't we eat on the patio? Hinoka, you grabbed a pie knife, right?"

"Yeah, Mother," Hinoka mumbled.

"Great," the queen replied. "Then let's dig in!"

()

After the family and their hostage finished eating, leaving very little of both pastries uneaten, everyone headed off to different parts of the castle. Kamui rushed off to her bedroom to pick out a swimsuit, Hinoka walked to the stables to get her pegasus, Ryoma and Takumi headed to the yard to train with their divine weapons, and Mikoto and Azura returned to the blue-haired princess' room.

"Azura," Mikoto called as the teenager opened her door. "There's...gods, there's something I need to ask you."

Azura turned around. "What is it, milady?" she asked tentatively.

"Could you..." Mikoto felt tears welling up in her eyes. "Could you ever think of me as a...a mother?"

Her captive tensed. "Milady, I..." She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, milady, but Arete was my mother. King Garon is my father, and my siblings are Xander, Camilla, Leo, Elise...and..." She paused, worried she'd drive the queen into a sobbing fit. "My family is in Nohr, milady."

"Corrin," Mikoto whispered to herself. "Is that what you were going to say?"

Azura looked away, saying nothing.

"Gods, Corrin. A Nohrian with a Nohrian name."

"...Milady?"

Turning her attention back to the girl in front of her, Mikoto sighed. "Azura," she said softly. "Ryoma and I are going to speak with General Yukimura and other high-ranking officers in just two weeks. When we do..." She felt a tear leave her eye and struggled to keep her voice steady. "At the council, we are considering declaring war on Nohr. King Garon has shown time and again that he does not desire peace through negotiation, but through conquest. After fourteen years of this standoff, we might finally give him what he wants."

"Milady, no!" Azura cried. "You can't let things escalate to war!" She thought for a moment. "My brother!" she exclaimed. "Xander, the crown prince. Give it time, and I'm sure he can persuade my father to lessen his demands."

The queen dried her cheek delicately with her sleeve. "Are you so confident, Azura?"

The princess nodded firmly. "I am, your highness."

Mikoto stood silently for a moment. "You know that I am a seer of the future, do you not?"

"Of course, milady." Azura's face fell. "Have you had visions of war?"

"I've had many visions," Mikoto admitted. "They no longer seem to make sense. I've seen Corrin and Kamui as friends and as enemies. I've seen dragons fight, and unfamiliar figures dancing on a stage. I've seen Izumo and Mokushu's alliances sway, knights fighting in the streets, crowns and thrones spattered with blood. Nothing is as clear as it once was to me."

"Is there anything you can see for certain, milady?"

The queen was quiet for a moment, then turned away. "Yes, Azura," she said softly. "Through all my visions, the one consistent thing..." Once again, she choked back tears. "In each one, I am gone." With that, she walked away.

"Gone?" Azura exclaimed. "Gods, milady, what...?" Mikoto was already out of earshot, clearly done talking. Mind racing, Azura slipped into her room. "It can't be," she whispered. "Surely, Father wouldn't..." With a start, she recalled a verse of the song her mother had taught her long ago.

 _In the white light_

 _A hand reaches through_

 _A double-edged blade cuts your heart in two._

She remembered she was meant to be choosing a swimsuit and opened her closet, resolving to ignore the matter for today and enjoy herself, If nothing else, for Kamui's sake.


	4. A Dragon's Test

.

 **ACT ONE**

 _ **Birthright**_

 _Corrin stood on an unfamiliar plain. A small river cut through the narrow no-man's-land between two expansive armies. Each army was headed by four youths, though he only recognized his siblings, who stood on the opposite bank. The people surrounding him were strangers—two girls with red hair, a man with brown hair, and a boy with silver hair. He wondered why he was apart from Xander, Camilla, Leo, and Elise, and evidently fighting against them._

 _He felt a warm white light surrounding him. Beyond the river, in the shadow of a mass of storm clouds, his family stood shrouded in the embrace of darkness._

 _The older boy, clad in red armor, charged the river with his sword drawn. The curved blade glowed a bright blue and crackled with electricity. The entire army followed him to meet the enemy, which Corrin now recognized as the Nohrian army. Startled, he glanced around himself and realized that he was among Hoshidan soldiers. The older girl clapped him gently on the back. "You ready for this?" she asked. Without waiting for a response, she climbed onto the back of a pegasus and soared off toward the Nohrians, a naginata in her hand instead of a lance._

 _The younger Hoshidan boy glanced over his shoulder at Corrin. "Remember what we practiced," he insisted in an accusatory tone. "Don't screw up out there!"_

 _Corrin turned to the younger girl, who was the only one left. "G-Go g-g-get 'em," she said meekly. He stared at her for a moment. Her face fell. "Watch out!"_

 _He spun around just in time to block a swipe from a fighter's axe. "Woah, stop!" he commanded his opponent. "I've no quarrel with...uh..." The man was invisible, save for a shimmering purple outline. Through the fighter's body, Corrin could see Xander on horseback, charging the red-clad Hoshidan leader with Siegfried held high. The fighter took advantage of his target's confusion, launching into a barrage of strikes. Corrin blocked them all with his sword, which was another baffling subject. It looked to be entirely made of gold, and was utterly foreign to the Nohrian prince. The longsword felt comfortable in his hands, however, so he chose to wield it rather than wonder about its origin. Shoving the hostile warrior's weapon out of his face, he plunged the golden blade into his opponent's neck—or, at least, where he thought his opponent's neck would be. Sure enough, the transparent man crumpled instantly, clearly dead. The body disappeared in a puff of purple smoke._

 _Corrin shook. Invisible or not, he had never killed anyone. He felt sick to his stomach and went completely pale, doubling over on his knees. He distantly heard the young girl behind him calling, "Kamui! Kamui, are you alright? Do you need my staff? Kamui?!"_

 _His head swam. "Kamui?" he mouthed, unable to speak audibly in his current state. "Who...?"_

 _The girl shrieked again. "Oh gods, no!" Corrin heard a grunt, a thunk, and the sound of another body hitting the grass. Still on the ground, he looked back to see a Nohrian lancer with a glowing blue arrow stuck in his neck. The younger Hoshidan boy jogged over, holding the glowing blue yumi that had obviously launched the projectile._

 _"Kamui, what the hell are you doing?" he demanded. "That guy almost decapitated you! Sakura, is she okay?"_

She?

 _"Y-yeah, Brother," the girl stammered. "I d-d-don't think she w-was—"_

 _"Hey," he said to Corrin, ignoring his sister. "C'mon, get up. Ryoma needs us!" He offered Corrin his hand. Bewildered, Corrin accepted the help._

 _"T-Takumi, you're going to ru-ru-rush the front l-lines?!" Sakura cried._

 _"No choice. Let's go, Kamui! Hurry!" Takumi pulled Corrin forward, quickly leaving the ranks of the Hoshidans as they reached the bridge spanning the river. Corrin watched Xander and the man called Ryoma fighting on the opposite shore, but stopped in his tracks when he glanced back at the bridge. Another red-haired girl stood there, wearing white armor with black highlights and a blue cape that looked exactly like his own, though her thighs were unarmored and covered only by dark blue tights. She wielded the same golden blade, too._

 _"Wha-?" was all Corrin managed to say before something struck him in the chest. He looked down to see a blue arrow lodged in his ribcage, and wooden planks beneath his feet. Looking back up, he saw that_ he _was now in the middle of the bridge, facing the Hoshidans, and the girl was standing by Takumi's side. She sprinted forward, sword at the ready. "Wait! No!" Corrin screamed as she cut him down._

()

 _September, 2013 AD_

"Gods!" Corrin cried out, flailing briefly in his sheets. He quickly recognized his own bed, in his own room at the Northern Fortress...with his own four personal servants standing by his side.

"Milord, are you okay?" Flora questioned. She had icy-blue hair befitting a member of the Ice Tribe, and wore the traditional black-and-white dress of a Nohrian maid.

"Uh, yeah, I..." he muttered. "Ahem. I'm fine, Flora."

"A nightmare, milord?" Jakob inquired. The normally stoic butler wore a concerned look above his simple suit.

"Yeah, Jakob. I'm alright, though. Er, Felicia, you can stop leaning over me."

"Oh, sorry Corrin! I mean, milord! I, uh...I'll just..." Flora's pink-haired twin sister pushed off from the bed and adjusted her headband. She clasped her hands behind her back and smiled. The others stared at her silently, watching the smile slowly fade from her reddening face. "Um, what're you guys looking at?"

Gunter, an old veteran whose presence at the Northern Fortress had been requested by King Garon a few years prior, shook his head. "Felicia, you specifically asked that you be allowed to serve the tea today."

"Oh! That's right! Just a moment, milord." Felicia hurriedly retrieved the silver tea tray from the nightstand.

"Thank you, Felicia," Corrin said apprehensively. "Just watch the—OWW!"

"Oh gods!" Felicia cried, rushing to recover the teapot and cup that she had dropped on the prince—and with them, an unhealthy amount of simmering tea.

Flora groaned. "Dammit, Sister." Wasting no time, she placed her hand over her master's steaming midriff. His pain faded quickly as her simple frost magic cooled his body. He nodded his thanks, still breathing heavily.

"Honestly, Felicia!" Jakob fumed. "How often must we tell you: a maid has to be calm and confident!"

"I know, I just...I'm sorry, milord," Felicia offered, on the verge of tears.

"Forgive me for repeating myself," the butler continued, removing a handkerchief from his pocket and beginning to wipe up as much tea as he could. "But you really should be improving after years of working as a maid. Your incompetence—"

"Jakob!" Corrin interjected. "Gods above, that's enough." He forced a smile. "Felicia, it's alright. You can stop apologizing."

"...Sorry," she muttered.

With a sigh, Corrin freed his legs from his sheets and swung them over the side of the bed. "Lilith is drawing a bath, Lord Corrin," Jakob told him plainly, still slightly flustered.

"Ah, wonderful." He hesitated. "Hey, Felicia, I'd still like that tea."

"Oh, right away, milord!" exclaimed the maid. She carefully lifted the teapot, cautiously filled the cup about halfway, meticulously replaced the pot...

"It's still just tea, Sister," Flora complained.

"Sor-...uh...Right, I'll...um, I'll just serve the...the tea."

She handed the cup to Corrin. "Thank you, Felicia," he said, trying not to sound too patronizing.

"Milord, Prince Xander arrived a few minutes ago," Gunter announced.

Corrin sipped his beverage. "He has? That's great! I was told it would be another week."

"He said King Garon granted him leave early to come see you. I didn't ask why."

The prince chugged the rest of his tea, quickly regretting that decision when he felt it burn his throat. "Ah! Ah! Ooh...Ugh. I'm fine." He stood. "I'll hurry to that bath, then."

Felicia cocked her head. "Milord? Why not skip the bath, if you'll be training with your brother anyway?" He gestured to his shirt, which was soaked with cold tea. Her face fell. "Oh. Right. I'll take care of your nightclothes while you bathe."

"I'll see to Prince Xander," Jakob offered.

Corrin nodded. "Thank you, Jakob. Let him know I'll be right out."

The twenty-one-year-old prince made his way through the hall and down one flight of stairs to the baths. Along the way, he thought about the dream he'd had. The four people who had called him their...sister...could they have been the Hoshidan royal family? Judging by their unusual clothing and the magical weapons that the two boys had wielded, the idea wasn't too far-fetched. And the girl—their real sister, Kamui—wielded the same golden sword that Corrin had held. What was so special about her and that blade?

Opening the door to the baths, he decided to perish the thought. His dream, in all likelihood, was just a dream. He was probably just stressed out over the possibility of war between Nohr and Hoshido. It wasn't even necessarily the concept of war that shook him, but the scarcity of updates that he'd been given. Elise, who used to visit him every week but had been unable to come for the past three, was not privy to their father's war meetings; and Leo, Camilla, and Xander's visits had become few and far between. Leo boasted that Father was sending him out on missions to put down roving bandits or to scout out the Hoshidan border. Camilla preferred not to talk about politics when she visited, opting instead to keep the conversation about Corrin. Xander had been unable to even stop by the Northern Fortress for seventy days.

"Good morning, milord!" Lilith said cheerfully beside a tub of hot water. She brushed a strand of blue hair out of her face. Her outfit, which she wore almost every day, varied in design from the dresses worn by the Ice Tribe twins—the high skirt that flared outward was replaced by a more modest knee-length skirt—and substituted the black for blue. She also wore a white headcloth tied in a bow rather than the headband of a typical maid. A red gem sat in the middle of her forehead, an identical color to the solid highlights at the end of her thick braid. "I heard that Prince Xander is here today."

"Yep, so I've gotta make this quick," he said. She turned away while he disrobed and lowered himself into the water, briefly submerging to wet his wild white hair.

"Will that be all, milord?"

"Yes, Lilith. Thank you."

Satisfied, she collected his clothes and headed out the door, only to bump into Princess Camilla on the other side. "Oh, Princess!" she blurted out. "We weren't expecting you today."

Camilla chuckled. "Well I wasn't planning on being here until just a couple days ago. Is Corrin in here?"

"Um, yes, but why...?"

Without another word, the lavender-haired princess slipped past Lilith and into the baths, startling her younger brother. "Wha-...Camilla?!" he practically screamed.

"Surprised to see me?" she asked.

"Well in my bathroom, yes!"

"What's the trouble?"

His mouth hung slightly open. "I...'What's the trouble?' You've no need to watch me bathe, Sister!"

She frowned. "I just wanted to say hello. That, and I'm sorry I couldn't come visit for nearly five weeks."

Corrin struggled to respond. "Er...Hello, Camilla?"

"Now that's better," she responded, stepping closer to the tub. "How have you been, Corrin?"

"Um, milady?" Lilith said from the door. "I think milord would prefer bathing alone."

Camilla turned around, chuckling. "Well I wasn't about to take my clothes off!"

Lilith's eyes briefly moved to Camilla's "clothes": her personalized malig knight armor, which hardly helped the princess' point, seeing as the dark purple ensemble covered little besides the absolute necessities. "...Milady, I meant with nobody in the room."

"Yeah, Sister," Corrin confirmed, covering himself with a loofah. His face flushed like an erupting volcano. "I really would rather you wait with Xander."

"Oh alright," Camilla sighed. "You know how I love to tease you!"

"All too well, Sister," he japed defeatedly.

She slipped back out of the room. Lilith quickly closed the door and stared at the princess, not sure she understood what just happened. "Um, Lilith?" said a voice beside them. "I can take Lord Corrin's clothes now."

"Huh? Oh, here you go, Felicia," Lilith managed, only taking her eyes off Camilla for a few moments while she handed Corrin's clothes to the other maid. Felicia scurried off, planning to have them cleaned and returned to his room before he'd even left the bath.

"Say, Lilith," Camilla said in a completely different tone that took her companion slightly aback. She sounded...well, _normal_ , as opposed to the sultry, teasing voice she'd spoken to Corrin with. "Has Corrin ever told you about the bird he rescued when he was a boy?"

"No, milady. Do tell."

"He was young; this was long before you offered your services. He found a little bird out in the snow and cared for it here in the fort."

"How noble of milord!"

Camilla laughed. "The funny thing is that he called it Lilith, which might I add is a very pretty name..."

Lilith giggled. "Thank you, milady!"

"...and her coloration was rather similar to your own hairstyle. I've thought it an amusing coincidence, but I always figured Corrin would tell you the story himself. I only saw the bird on one occasion, after all. Perhaps he thought it unfunny?"

"Perhaps, milady." Lilith paused. "But why, if you thought it better told by milord, did you choose to mention it now?"

The princess nibbled her lower lip. "Well, don't tell Corrin yet, but this will be his last day in the fortress!"

The bluette's eyes widened. "Really? That's...I suppose that's wonderful. But then, what will become of myself and the other servants?"

"I should think you'll continue to attend Corrin as his retainers, unless he chooses to dismiss you. And I doubt he would. He talks so highly of all of you!" Camilla smiled warmly. "Thank you so much for being a good friend to my brother."

With a slight bow Lilith cheerfully responded, "He's been a good friend and lord to all of us as well."

The bathroom door opened, and Corrin emerged wearing a grey bathrobe. He paused. "Well," he said. "Judging by the fact that you're both still standing here, I didn't take very long." Camilla took a step toward him and hugged him tightly with both arms. With an uneasy chuckle, he returned the embrace, though he was clearly looking forward to escaping it.

Lilith wondered if Camilla noticed just how uncomfortable her affection made Corrin. She cleared her throat to remind the princess that a third party was present. "Prince Xander is waiting, your lordship and ladyship."

Reluctantly, Camilla released her brother. He seemed relieved by the absence of pressure on his fairly muscular chest, though his almost violent blush had returned. "Er, I'll get dressed quickly, then," he declared. "Don't want to keep Xander waiting." He quickly made for his room.

When he was gone, Lilith looked back to Camilla with a lighter blush in her own cheeks. "Uh, milady?" she said.

"Yes, Lilith?"

"You are aware that you...um..." She cupped her hands in front of her chest. "You have rather...er..."

Camilla's face also flushed slightly. "Well, of course I do. I'm not exactly shy about it."

"It's just..." Lilith gestured to the stairs Corrin had taken up. "The way you, er...the... Gods, um..."

The princess understood. "Oh. The hug." She chuckled, though there was a tinge of sadness to it. "I've always hugged him like that, since we were young. I suppose I can't help but hug him like a mother, you know?"

Lilith frowned. She recalled hearing from Jakob that Queen Arete, Garon's second wife and Corrin's mother, had passed away shortly after the boy was born. Since then, the king had not remarried, so the only motherly figure in Corrin's life was his older sister. However, though Camilla certainly loved Leo and Elise dearly, Lilith didn't think she behaved quite so mischievously toward them as she did toward Corrin. "I understand, milady," the maid lied.

()

A few minutes later, Corrin arrived in the living-room where his older siblings and personal servants had gathered. "Xander!" the younger prince exclaimed upon entering, walking swiftly to his brother and embracing him. "I haven't seen you in over two months!"

Xander pulled away, holding Corrin at arm's length and grinning. His younger brother was still about fifteen centimeters shorter than he was. "Two very long months, little prince! By the gods, I think you were shorter than Camilla last time I saw you!"

Camilla feigned indignation. "It's not as though he towers above me, Xander! He's hardly any taller than I am."

"He's precisely one-point-eight-four meters tall, milady," Jakob spoke up. Beside him, Flora and Lilith looked impressed by his memory.

"Would you two like some tea, or a sandwich to snack on?" Corrin inquired.

"Yes to the tea," Xander replied. "No sandwich, please. I ate a hearty breakfast already."

"Same here," Camilla chimed in. "Though if you've not eaten, Corrin, please don't think you need to stand here and entertain us before you do."

"I'll just have a tart," Corrin replied. "Felicia, please bring some tea and one strawberry tart. You both like jasmine, right?" His siblings nodded.

"Er, milord?" Flora spoke up. "My sister isn't here."

"Come again?"

"She said she had to dust the curtains in the guest wing."

Corrin furrowed his brow. "Okay... I wish she'd come here, though. Perhaps you could fetch her? And Lilith, get the tea, please?"

"Of course, milord," the maids replied.

As they exited, Lilith whispered, "What's the real reason?"

Flora sighed. "Felicia managed to trip, in the kitchen, in such a manner that Lord Corrin's freshly cleaned nightclothes flew from her hands and into the pot of stew on the stove."

"Oh gods. She can't help it, can she?"

"Evidently, no. Not at all."

After watching the girls leave, Corrin turned back to his brother and sister. "Uh, anyway. Will Leo and Elise be along today?"

"Yep!" Camilla said happily. "It's been months since we were all together, but they should be here momentarily."

Right on cue, an unarmed guard arrived from the western watchtower. "Milords, milady, a caravan is due to arrive in thirty minutes. They sent a malig knight in advance to say that Prince Leo and Princess Elise are with them."

"I'll warn the kitchen staff that they may need to prepare extra food," Jakob offered. He left the room with the guard.

"Let's go down to the entrance hall and wait for them," Camilla suggested. Her brothers agreed.

Xander smiled at Gunter, the only servant still with them, as they walked. "Sir Gunter, how have you been?"

The old knight shrugged. "As well as I could be, I suppose." That was about the best response the crown prince could have hoped for.

"Do you miss the front lines?" Xander asked.

"I'd say no, but with no offense to Lord Corrin, it would definitely beat babysitting. But I know I'm past all that."

"Maybe not, old timer." Xander dropped his voice to a whisper. "You may soon serve my brother on the battlefield, instead."

"Milord?" Gunter questioned. The prince remained silent.

()

"Corrin! Xander!" Elise squealed joyously the moment she saw her brothers upon crossing the threshold. She tried to hug them both at once, but her small frame made the act difficult. Realizing this, she instead opted to embrace each in turn, starting with Corrin. "Gods, it's been too long!"

"You were here within the month, Sister!" he laughed. "Although I did feel your absence quite plainly the past few days."

Xander held onto her a bit longer when she threw her arms around him. "I know I've been away far too long, Sister. I'm sorry my work has kept me."

"You don't need to apologize, silly!" the teenager insisted. "I'm just glad we're all together!"

"Couldn't agree more!" Corrin declared. He looked back to the door to see that Leo was indeed there—he'd simply chosen to enter more subtly. "Leo, it's great to see you again." He outstretched his arms to his brother.

"Same to you, Corrin," Leo said with a vague smile, holding out a single hand instead. Corrin waited a moment before reluctantly trading his intended hug for the desired handshake. The mage was almost exactly Corrin's height, falling just millimeters short. His hair, a shade darker than Elise's platinum color, was a little longer than Corrin had ever seen it, the bangs reaching almost past his eyes. "Have you been able to pull off that lightning bolt spell?"

Corrin sighed. "I'm afraid not. I might not be cut out for magic after all."

"Nonsense," Leo said with a chuckle. "Last time you said that was the day you figured out how to hurl a fireball. I know you'll get it eventually."

"You mean that, Brother?"

"Sure! And besides, if tomes aren't your thing, you could always try using a Levin sword."

"Thanks, Leo," Corrin laughed. "I'll need to improve my swordsmanship, first."

"Well that should be easy. You're a natural with a sword. Do you think I'd be letting an amateur train me?"

"Xander does most of your training. I just-"

Leo cut Corrin off with a sharp laugh. "Dammit, Brother! How am I supposed to make fun of you if you downplay yourself so much? Have some pride, man!" Corrin burst out laughing. Leo chuckled uneasily. "Uh, it wasn't that funny, Brother."

"No, it's not that," his brother choked out between spasms. "It's...I just noticed your...ahem." He dropped his voice to just above a whisper. "Your collar is inside-out."

Leo cringed. "Again?"

"Yeah."

"Gods damn it."

After determining that nothing could be done about Leo's rather large, prominently inside-out mage collar, the two of them joined their siblings in the hall. "Gods," Corrin remarked in disbelief. "I think the last time we were all together was on my birthday, back in April. So, what's the occasion? I didn't hear from any of you before this morning, but this was clearly a planned visit. What's up?"

All eyes in the room went to Xander. "Corrin," he announced, making sure that the servants and soldiers by the door could hear, "I'm here today to test you. Our father, King Garon, wants to know if you're ready to join your siblings as a commander of the Nohrian army. And, thus, to no longer be confined to the Northern Fortress."

Corrin's jaw dropped. "By the Dusk Dragon, today?"

The Crown Prince grinned. "Father says that, as a man of twenty-one, you should have been able to leave a long time ago. He apologizes for worrying so much about your health and not at all about your happiness." When his brother remained silent, Xander continued. "He is also sorry that he hasn't been able to see you for nearly an entire year, and is looking forward to it—tomorrow, at Castle Krakenburg. If you succeed, Flora and Jakob are to remain as the keepers of the fortress, along with most of the staff; while Gunter and Felicia will accompany you."

Corrin's mind was racing. His father was finally willing to let him leave the fortress for good, despite his albinism. His supposed condition had been the reason King Garon gave for keeping him in the Northern Fortress for two decades, all because he had pale skin. _'...Okay, maybe the pointed ears are a little off-putting too,'_ he admitted internally. Regardless, he had always felt that he was as strong as anyone else, but had been unwilling to disobey his father without a good reason, save for one occasion he could hardly remember. "Gods, Xander..." he murmured eyeing the ground. Then he looked up into his older brother's eyes, his own blazing with determination. "I'm ready."

"Of course you are," Xander affirmed. "Now prove it!"

()

The brothers met at the top of the southern turret. The surface was wide, with only a light slope from the center to the edge. A short wall ringed the tower, and the only entrance or exit was a trapdoor off to the side. Peri, a female cavalier with wild pink and blue hair and Xander's retainer, had offered to bring his horse up to the roof, to which he had given a confused "No thanks." The crown prince's other retainer, a suave young man named Laslow with stylish grey hair and a hint of a peculiar accent, now struggled to silence her rather unreasonable calls for Xander to paint the fortress with Corrin's blood. They stood back with Elise, Camilla, and the royals' other retainers. Leo stood between his brothers, coolly masking his unease with his typical resting smirk.

"Alright, guys," the dark knight announced. "Let's see a clean fight, and, uh..." He shifted slightly on his feet. "Well...don't lose, Corrin. Xander's not going to go easy on you this time."

"I know," Corrin said, more shakily than he would have liked. "I won't let Father down."

Leo backed off and joined the others. Corrin and Xander raised their swords. "This is it, little prince," the blond man whispered. Corrin felt dwarfed next to his brother, the poster child of Nohr who practically radiated strength. "If you wish to see the world beyond the view from your window, then best me."

Corrin stepped forward, swinging his sword lightly at Xander's side just to test his guard. Xander retaliated quickly, knocking Corrin's bronze sword aside with his own and launching into a thrust attack. With a surprised grunt, Corrin backstepped and turned himself sideways to avoid the blade. Putting his own sword between himself and Xander's, he countered with another thrusting attack, which Xander avoided in a similar fashion. The two backed away from each other tentatively. "You strike timidly, little prince," Xander declared. "You lack resolve. If you are to best me, you must genuinely try to kill me!"

Corrin rushed forward, moving to his left while swinging his sword in a wide arc from his right. Xander blocked him, but was unable to get his sword around his brother's. They clashed repeatedly, one unable to break his opponent's guard, and the other unwilling. "Come on, little prince!" Xander insisted. "I know you have it in you. Hit me!" Corrin grunted in response as he ducked back and to the side, looking for an opportunity to pierce Xander's defense with a stab. He attempted the attack, only to be knocked away again. He hurried to block Xander's counterattack, a blunt swing that would have likely ended the fight immediately. Ignoring Elise and Camilla's worried gasps, Corrin decided to try closing the gap between himself and Xander and fighting at point-blank. He made the move, but his brother was too strong and simply shoved him back when their blades met. "Gods dammit," Corrin breathed. He desperately tried to recall his past lessons. Xander clearly wanted something, or he wouldn't be swinging so damn hard. There must have been some advantage that Corrin had over his brother—but what? Dammit, what?! It couldn't be his relatively small size, since Xander wasn't allowing him to move in closer.

 _'The blood of the First Dragons flows in your veins,'_ he remembered from an old lesson. _'If you are ever in dire need...'_

"AWGH!" Corrin screamed as Xander's sword smashed into him, denting his armor and sprinkling small shards of the white plate around their feet. Once more, he ignored his sisters' shrieks and tried to concentrate on both his defense and the hunch he was developing. _'If you are in dire need, you may call upon the power of your bloodline to alter the battlefield.'_ The blood of his ancestors, the power of the First Dragons...

Corrin pushed Xander away, standing nearly at the edge of the roof. Cringing from the pain in his injured side, he raised his blade and plunged it into the floor. Instantly, Xander was knocked back by a burst of energy and barely managed to stay on his feet. Elise cheered loudly while the mysterious force repaired Corrin's armor and healed his wound in mere seconds. It also seemed to revitalize him, allowing him to launch into a startling offensive that Xander could barely keep up with. Xander's face fell into an odd combination of a grin and a grimace as his younger brother utterly overpowered him. Every time they crossed swords, Corrin managed to jab at Xander's black armor with just enough force to make an impact. The fight dragged on due to the crown prince's immense stamina, but they both knew that for the sake of this test, he was beaten. After several minutes of ruthless attacks, Corrin finally managed to knock Xander's sword off to his side and deliver two quick blows directly to his breastplate. With his brother stunned, Corrin was able to step forward and shove Xander with all his strength, resulting in the crown prince lying on his back with his sword somewhere out of reach and Corrin's foot planted firmly on his chest.

"Well done, little prince," Xander said through ragged breaths. "You've bested me. From this day, you are a free man!" Everyone present cheered loudly, save for Camilla's typically silent retainer Beruka, who instead applauded politely.

Corrin moved his foot to the floor and offered Xander his hand. "A dragon vein on the damn roof?" he asked with a hint of a smile.

Xander chuckled as he was pulled to his feet. "The dragons' power is strong in this land. I knew you could pull it off, Corrin."

"Sometimes I fear you put too much faith in me, Brother."

"Again with the modesty!" Leo shouted, clapping Corrin on the back. "I'd call you a wimp if you hadn't just technically beaten Xander in a fight."

Before he could fully recover from Leo's harmless hit, Corrin was nearly tackled to the ground by Elise's surprisingly strong hug. "You did it, Corrin! Oh my gods, you did it! I never doubted you, not for a second!"

Camilla chuckled. "Really, Elise? Then why were you cowering into my shoulder while Xander smacked him around?" As soon as the smaller girl stepped aside, Camilla pulled Corrin into an even tighter, utterly smothering embrace.

"Agh, gods, Camilla!" the prince protested. She laughed and released him, taking pleasure in seeing his flushed face.

"Well now," Xander announced. "We've taken care of the business aspect of this final visit, as it were. I think the five of us have some catching up to do before supper."

()

The moment the fight ended, three of the royals' retainers slipped back into the fortress. Laslow, Camilla's ill-tempered redhead mercenary Selena, and Leo's eccentric blond-haired mage Odin Dark quietly opened the trapdoor, slid down the ladder, and walked briskly to the servants' lounge on the floor below. As they'd expected, it was empty. Laslow grinned as he shut the door behind them. "Gods, you two, it's really been...uh..."

Already, the others were ignoring him completely, caught up in a desperate kiss. He backed off awkwardly, willing to give his friends their moment together.

"Oh gods, Owain," Selena gasped.

"I love you, Severa," Odin declared.

Laslow coughed. Noting that the couple were not deterred, he sighed. "I'm still here, lovebirds," he japed. That finally got them to stop, though they still held each other as if letting go meant they'd disappear forever. "How have the past couple months treated you, friends?"

Selena brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "A few deployments to deter bandits. Nothing worth mentioning," she said plainly.

"My missions were similarly simple," Odin announced theatrically. "Yet I faced the greatest challenge of my entire life, for my heart burned to cinders with the desire to hold my beloved in my arms again!" He noticed Laslow giving him a mock-angry frown. "Oh, and uh, to see and...speak with my good friend...er..." He shrugged. "Hi, Inigo. Sorry I didn't think up a speech for you."

"Quite alright," Laslow assured. "I've had my hands full recently. Dealing with Peri on a regular basis is enough to satisfy my craving for action, but I've actually been in combat quite a few times. Prince Xander conducted several inquisitions in our border villages, and we found several instances of Hoshidan spies agitating anti-Garon demonstrators. The border is in a state of unrest, and it's my understanding the capitol is the same way."

"Did you learn anything of the other dragon child?" Odin asked.

Laslow shook his head. "Aside from the fact that she's quite the looker, no."

"Son of a bitch," Selena groaned. "Are you sure that one of us shouldn't—"

"We've been over this," Laslow chided. "If it does come to war, I won't fight against my friends. We must follow the plan and protect Corrin. If I have the opportunity to help protect Kamui, then depending on context, I'll probably take it. But above all else, we are going home together."

"Of course we shall!" Odin proclaimed. "The dragonslayers, bound across time and space, will defend each other's lives with our own, and thus, we shall never die!" He cleared his throat. "But, ah, who has the crystal?"

"OWAIN!" the others shouted, quickly shutting up when they realized they might be heard.

"Haha, I jest, I jest." Odin reached into his cloak and produced the shimmering blue, palm-sized crystal that was their one-way ticket home.

Laslow still cringed. "You have it on you?"

"Relax, Inigo," the mage responded coolly. "I've got a little box that I lock up, then throw inside another locked box, and then I throw that into a locked chest!"

"And you're sure you won't lose the keys?" Selena queried.

"Sure! I lock one key in a box—"

Laslow covered his face with his hand. "Oh my gods, Owain."

Odin laughed again. "Once more I jest, my friend. There are only two keys for one box and a chest, and both containers are sealed with separate spells. The chest's key is on me, while the other I hide elsewhere among my belongings."

"That's good," Laslow admitted, unimpressed by his friend's jokes. "Now there's one more thing I want to discuss."

"Yeah, what the hell is that Vallite bitch doing here?" Selena demanded of no one in particular.

"I too am baffled to see the blue witch serving our charge," Odin said.

Laslow started toward the door. "Well, then, seems you're both as confused as I am. I think I'll ask her myself. Hopeless flirt like me, nobody will think twice about it. You two can resume your little moment," he added with a wink.

"Creep," Selena complained as he slipped out of the room, though she and Odin did immediately take him up on the offer.

As he made his way to the living-room where he figured everyone would gather before the feast, Laslow couldn't help but think of his own sweetheart back in Ylisse. Gods, he'd been gone for three years already and was readying to weather a war before returning home, and what had he told her of it? I have to go away, he'd said. I can't say much, but a distant land needs my help. She'd wondered, of course, if there was anything she could do to help, to which he'd had no good answer. He hadn't yet known that the crystal could only transport three people, so her involvement was impossible unless she planned to leave the land she'd only just accepted as her home. Regardless, he told her that she needed to stay in Ylisse and help her parents rebuild, reminding her that her sister Cynthia was totally unqualified to take her place. She'd laughed sadly. She'd kissed him goodbye. Her hand had lingered on his arm. A tear had fallen from her cheek.

"Sorry, Luci," he whispered. "I'll be back soon. I promise."

He'd said the same thing three years ago. And he knew as well now as he did then that it was a blatant lie.

()

"Pardon me, my vibrant flower," Laslow said with swagger, "but I think I've forgotten your name since my last visit. Lilith, is it?"

"Yes, sir," the maid replied, her guise of calm broken by a moment's pause and a brief voice crack. "And you're Xander's retainer Laslow, correct?"

Laslow's mouth twitched. "Why, yes. Say, I think we may have met elsewhere. I'd never forget a pretty face like that."

"Oh, you scoundrel!" she joked, a light blush appearing in her cheeks. She spotted Jakob nearby with a platter of deviled eggs. "Jakob, I'm going to check on the kitchen staff and see if they need an extra set of hands," she called. He gave her a nod before returning to his duties. Her excuse prepared, Lilith turned around and headed in the direction of the stairwell. As she expected, Laslow followed close behind. She descended the stairs to the midway landing before deciding the coast was clear. "Okay, please let me explain," she told the mercenary.

"You'd better," he said, one hand on his sword handle.

She took a deep breath. "I don't know whether my true father was the king I served, or the man you offered to help. But the only time I ever felt loved was when..." Her voice broke, and she wiped a tear from her eye. "...was when I held him in my arms as he died." Laslow looked indifferent. "So I...I promised Father that I would help you protect his son—my brother. Even if he never knows that we're related."

"Why wouldn't you go to Hoshido and serve your sister, then?"

Lilith didn't meet his eyes. "That was...a selfish decision. Corrin saved my life when he was a boy, and I wanted to repay him."

Finally, Laslow had heard something convincing. "Corrin saved your life?" he repeated.

"He did. I've pieced together that it was almost two years after Princess Azura was abducted. Anankos—King Anankos—ordered me to survey the entire continent. I took the form of a bird and—"

"Hold on," Laslow interrupted. "You can change form?"

"Yes, it's a power I inherited from my father. I can take the form of a dragon, and after practicing non-stop for years on King Anankos' orders, I became able to change into a bird as well. That was how I surveyed the land and each nation's army. But by chance, I was caught in a dreadful storm in these mountains and nearly perished in the snow. Thankfully, Corrin saw me flying near his window before I fell, and he ordered his butler to retrieve me. Then he cared for me for months."

Laslow considered what he'd heard. He looked up and down the stairs to check that they were alone. "Transform, then," he ordered.

She blushed. "Not here. I don't fancy anyone watching me dress afterward."

His own face flushed. "Oh, I didn't mean...the shapeshifters I knew in my homeland kept their clothes when they transformed."

"It's a lot easier to do when your beast form is larger than your human form," she informed him. "Having your clothes shrink before they merge with your body is difficult and dangerous."

"Well, you learn something new every day," he remarked. "Alright, let's get to a more private room, then. Do you have your own quarters?"

"No, but the maid bedroom should be empty."

Not without second thoughts, Lilith led the stranger to the maids' quarters, where he would watch her remove her clothes. _'Life can be strange for the daughter of a self-destructive god,'_ she thought. Upon reaching the room, she checked that nobody was inside, then brought Laslow in and shut the door. "Alright," she said. "Turn around."

"Not a chance, sweetheart," he responded coldly. "You might stick a knife in my back, for all I know."

She tried to protest, but realized that her ability to transform was probably the only reason he hadn't already killed her. "Lecherous dastard," she mumbled, her face a bright crimson.

"Just loosen your dress enough that a bird can shimmy out," he suggested.

"Do not tell me _how_ to take my clothes off," she warned. "I could get you executed for this." He eyed her intensely while she tugged at the strings of her uniform. "What the hell is the matter with you?!"

"I know maids hide knives in their dresses," he said.

"Damn it, this is loose enough!" she declared angrily, not wanting to spend another second under his scrutinous eye. She took a deep breath and stood still, closing her eyes and letting her arms hang at her sides. After a few seconds, her fair skin started to change, and feathers began sprouting all over her body. Her hair just turned into the feathers of her back, and her frame began to shrink. Moments later, her dress lay crumpled on the floor, and a blue bird wiggled out of the cloth.

"Well I'll be damned," Laslow exclaimed. "That's enough proof for me. Nice to know we've got another partner in on this dragon-slaying game." She flew up to his face and chirped. He laughed, then blushed and cleared his throat. "Erm, I'll be going, then. Much as I'd like to, I gather you don't want me sticking around." Lilith backed off and landed on the floor, just behind her clothes. Laslow gave her an awkward wave and left the room quietly, making sure the hall was still empty before heading back to the living-room.

Everyone there was already heading down to the mess hall. Supposedly the chefs had gone all-out in preparation for Corrin's last meal at the Northern Fortress. Unfortunately, that meant Selena and Odin would not be in good positions to hear Lilith's secret, but Laslow figured he could just tell them during the ride to Windmire. He decided to make the encounter sound less like a sexual harassment scenario when he did describe it.


	5. The City of Dusk

_September, 2013 AD_

"How are things in Windmire?" Corrin asked his brothers. The three royals were seated in a comfortably furnished wagon with a built-in two-person couch, on which Leo and Xander lounged, and cushioned chairs. The wagon itself was in the middle of Leo and Elise's convoy, rolling briskly toward the Nohrian capital.

"Worse than last year, Brother," Xander answered with a sigh. "We still can't grow enough crops to properly feed the people, and the guards have needed to break up several rallies against Father's rule."

"Gods, it's that bad?"

Xander nodded. "Father's doing all he can, despite the protests. He's set a graduated minimum employee count and higher minimum wage on private plantations, and he's started an initiative for converting underused buildings into homes for those too poor to afford one."

Corrin was simultaneously impressed and concerned. "What will the long-term impact be on the economy?"

"The economy's good as dead," Leo said matter-of-factly. "We can't think long-term anymore. We've been spiraling for a century, and this damned drought has been going on for three years now; the people want a solution. Some folk fancy themselves revolutionaries."

"Indeed," Xander confirmed. "At this point, our only options are to seize and regulate all farmland, which would surely lead to multiple uprisings by the lords, or to seize Hoshidan lands for cultivation."

"Then it's war?" Corrin responded skeptically. "Have we really let our nation become dependent on conquest?"

"No, not yet," Xander assured. "Not while they have Azura. Father's made it abundantly clear to his top advisors that Azura's safety is among his highest priorities."

Corrin shook his head. "What could we possibly do that would convince Queen Mikoto to give Azura back and give up her lands? We've nothing to barter with."

Leo grinned. "That's the beauty of it. In this deal, our currency is peace. Mikoto is known in Hoshido as the Motherly Queen because she treats all of her subjects like family. We think that if we can hold a couple of villages hostage without too much killing, she'll surrender to our demands immediately."

Corrin drew back, appalled. "Just how much killing is too much?"

"What Leo meant," Xander interjected, "is that we need a show of force. For twenty years we've threatened war, but we've never flexed our muscles, so to speak. Mikoto needs to think that we are willing and able to attack."

"That's not very convincing," Corrin complained. "Do you think that we would lose everything if war did break out?"

Xander was silent for a moment. "Corrin, I think that if war broke out now, everyone would lose everything. Nohr, Hoshido, Nestra, Mokushu, Izumo—every nation would be reduced to ashes and bones."

"Wait, Xander," Leo said with a nervous chuckle. "Do you really think that Nohr couldn't defeat Hoshido?"

The crown prince didn't reply. Before Leo could press him further, Elise threw open the door in the front of the carriage and wasted no time taking a seat in the chair beside Corrin's. "Woah, Elise?!" he exclaimed. "Did you jump onto the carriage?"

"Maaaybe!" she giggled. "What're you boys talking about?"

"We've had a long conversation about horseshit," Leo declared in a comically smug tone.

"Aw, boo!" she jeered. "Come on, tell me."

"We were talking about the economy, Elise," Corrin informed her.

"Oh," she chuckled. "Leo was right, then." To her delight, her quip got a laugh out of her brothers. She let herself laugh with them. "Father is going to be so happy to see you!" she told Corrin after a moment.

"I hope so," was all he could bring himself to say.

Elise frowned. "Hey, what does that mean? Of course he will!"

"I know," he assured her. "It's just that, I'm sure he's been so stressed lately. I hope he can relax while we're together."

Elise wanted to keep arguing, but conceded that their father would probably be tired and grumpy like he always was. "I just hope that someday soon we can all relax together," she admitted, kicking her legs in the air absentmindedly. "I don't want to keep hearing everyone talk about war."

All four of them were quiet. Xander knew the others were waiting for him to speak, but he didn't have anything of value to say—none of the reassuring words they wanted to hear were necessarily true. "How is your cleric training, Elise?" he asked, opting to break the silence however he could.

"I'm getting better," she said. "I can use a basic staff to heal shallow gashes and fix dislocated bones." She blew a strand of hair out of her eye. "Still can't get Rescue staves to work properly, and I'm still struggling to move a fireball with a tome."

"Long as you're keeping people alive, you're helping," Leo encouraged. "And hey, maybe I can help you with the fireball while we're at Krakenburg. I trained Corrin well enough, didn't I?"

"'Well enough' is different from 'well', Brother," Corrin teased.

"Ha ha, very funny," Leo said with a poorly masked chuckle. "Say, where's Camilla?" he asked.

"I think she's reading that book, Tales of a Bloodthirsty Pegasus Knight," Elise offered.

"Oh, gods," Corrin groaned. "That's a series, and a long one at that. I couldn't get through the first book, it was so boring!"

"What?!" Leo demanded. "I love TBPK! The story is so intricate, and the characters are great!"

"It's just too slow," Corrin insisted. "The entire first book, which is heavy as my head, just sets up events that happen later on."

"Hey, you're the one who wants to be a combat tactician," Leo retorted. "You'll need patience, and some intricate strategies."

"Didn't say I don't like intricacy," Corrin defended. "I just don't like the book."

Xander considered speaking up before Leo could continue the ultimately pointless argument, but realized that it was exactly the kind of normal conversation brothers should be having, rather than moping over matters that would be plenty apparent when they reached Windmire. Instead of interrupting, he leaned back into the couch and let his brothers discuss TBPK. _'Which,'_ he thought, _'was neither the best nor worst I've read.'_

()

"The servant of darkness has seen the light!" Odin declared. "That is welcome news indeed, Laslow. And, ah, just to make sure I heard that right, her clothes fall off when she transforms?" Selena punched his arm. "Ow! My sweet, I only wish to avoid awkward situations in the future," he assured her. "Also, that was really hard."

She ignored him, but still rested herself against his side. The pair relaxed on a couch identical to the one in the royals' wagon, with Laslow seated opposite them in a bolted-down chair. "So why the hell did Lilith come to Nohr?" Selena queried. "Shouldn't she be with Kamui? You said that she knew Mikoto had twins."

Laslow shook his head. "She told me she owed Corrin for saving her life ten years or so ago. She was checking Nohr out as a bird, got stuck in a blizzard, and let Corrin take her in so her injured wing could heal."

"Pretty shitty logic," Selena persisted. "But I guess it makes sense, given that she was raised by an insane, neglectful god."

"But are we not concerned for the other dragon child?" Odin insisted. "Surely it would be good if someone with knowledge of the Silent Dragon were to join the princess."

"We just went over this," Laslow groaned. "None of us are splitting off to join Hoshido, and Lilith's not going anywhere. If war breaks out, then we'll try to protect her."

"Damn," Selena said eloquently. "Why can't we just tell Corrin about Valla now? He can use dragon veins."

"Not enough," Laslow reminded her. "He should be able to _become_ a dragon, and he hasn't found Yato, either. Besides, King Garon won't believe us. We'll need Mikoto's forces to back us up in Valla. Ideally, that means we'll also have Kamui."

Selena folded her arms. "When have things ever been ideal for us?"

Laslow leaned back in his chair, crossing his hands behind his head. "Right before we left Ylisse. When we thought we were done with dragons and war."

Odin grinned. "Well, the greatest trio of heroes who ever lived will never back down from a challenge to justice, a test of our faith in the inherit good of mankind!" He stood and raised a fist triumphantly. "We will stand strong to protect the innocent, as the shields and blades of righteousness!"

Selena chuckled and grasped his arm. "Alright, but we can still relax while we have the time to ourselves."

"Of course," he said, taking his seat on the couch. "We must always make some time for ourselves." He kissed the redhead, putting his arm around her when he felt her do the same.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Laslow teased. "Did you want me to leave?"

"Wouldn't be the worst thing," Selena quipped before returning to her lover.

"Well, alright," he said, rising. "I should probably make sure Peri hasn't skewered any servants." When neither of his friends looked up, he took his leave. "Seriously, Peri could attack any maid or butler, anytime," he added at the door. "Watch out for that."

()

Luckily for all present, Peri didn't present any problems, and the ride was uneventful. The Outer Wall of the Nohrian capital city appeared in their view two hours before they reached it, as they passed around one of the foothills that the road circumvented, but the excitement that each of the royals felt upon first seeing the wall only grew as they approached. Their point of entry was a large, open gateway that opened vertically, allowing the gate to be dropped down quickly in the event of an attack or internal threat. From there they proceeded toward the subterranean Inner City, gazing out the windows of their wagon at the surprisingly meager crowd gathered beside the wide commercial streets. The people who did gather were all peasants, and all cast looks of either contempt or pleading desperation on their princes and princesses. Corrin grew uncomfortable to the point of shuddering, and backed away from the window.

"Gods," he murmured. "It's the same city, but it feels...off."

"I know," Xander said wistfully. "The people of Windmire—those who haven't been drafted into the army—no longer walk the streets unless they've nothing left to lose."

"It'll get better," Camilla insisted, putting an arm around Corrin. "When we finally claim the vacant plains east of the Bottomless Canyon, we'll be able to fix our economy."

"Camilla, he isn't a child," Xander remarked. "He knows it isn't that simple."

"I know that, Xander!" she snapped. "But it is the main part of our plan, is it not?"

"Guys, there's no need to argue," Corrin assured them. "Please, let's just enjoy our time together."

"You're right, sweetie," Camilla said with a smile, holding him with both arms.

"Er, still not a child," he added.

"I can't hug my manly brother?" she bantered, though she did release him.

"You all might want to sit down," Leo announced. "We've reached the lift."

The others followed his advice, which was repeated to them a minute later by one of Elise's retainers, a muscular, white-haired female knight named Effie. Moments later, the lift began descending into the Inner City with all eight of the convoy's wagons aboard. The industrial lifts of Windmire were considered marvels of engineering, able to transport massive loads from the surface all the way to the deepest reaches of the city two hundred meters below, and even more impressively, to carry that burden all the way from the underground to the surface. The main entrance to Castle Krakenburg was one hundred meters down, across a bridge suspended over the colossal chasm. The highest point was only fifty meters above the entrance, but the castle extended all the way to the bottom and could be accessed from dozens of other points below the main floor. The lowest level connected to both the subterranean reservoir that provided water to the Inner City and to the sewage removal channel that was used to dispose of Windmire's waste. The Outer City retrieved its water from stone irrigation channels beyond the Outer Wall, but could rely on the underground supply in times of crisis. A thin layer of buildings, both military and civilian, filled the gap between the Inner Wall and the castle bridges on distinct landings every fifty meters.

When the lift reached the fourth layer, the royals' and their retainers broke from the convoy and walked toward the castle. The wagons were brought to the fourth layer garage, after which the drivers would bring their horses and Camilla's wyvern, Marzia, back up to the surface.

Corrin trailed behind the others. The sight of the magnificent palace—his magnificent palace, he now supposed—always left him awestruck. It was a testament to Nohrian ingenuity, as well as a symbol of Nohr's immense strength. His visits, which had been monthly at their highest frequency, had dwindled in recent years, and it had now been just over one entire year since he last set foot in Castle Krakenburg. Consequently, a year had passed since he had seen his father, a fact that King Garon evidently regretted, given the tone of the message Xander had delivered at the Northern Fortress.

"Hey, Corrin!" Elise called from up ahead. She waved both arms over her head. "Come on, you're falling behind!"

"Yeah, I'm coming!" he yelled, waving back with one arm and picking up his pace a bit. Though he was still somewhat anxious, he felt a new wave of eagerness to see his family all together again. He smiled on his way into his palace.

()

The design of Castle Krakenburg's interior was elegant, but largely minimalist. Though they had once been a pleasant clay-like shade of red, the walls of every hallway had been painted black with gold decals long ago in mourning of Garon's first wife, Xander's mother Katerina, when she passed. Even when he married his second wife, Arete, who he was said to have loved twice as much as Katerina and ten times as much as the trio of concubines that bore his three other children, he'd solemnly refused to change the grim decor throughout most of the castle.

The gathering hall was one floor below the entryway. The retainers were led to their quarters by palace servants, while Corrin's siblings led him down a plainly rectangular stairway off to the left of the entrance, which led directly to the room below. Corrin was confused to see a large pile of stone rubble in the center of the hall, but forgot about it immediately when he spotted King Garon on the other side of the room, rising from a simple black throne. He steeled his nerves, subduing both his excessive excitement and his anxiousness to maintain a dignified appearance. When he reached the foot of the throne with his brothers and sisters, Corrin knelt alongside them.

"Father," he said. "I'm home—and I'm so glad to see you again at last."

The King of Nohr was, oddly, adorned in his full battle armor. The set consisted mostly of thick black plate, forged decades ago from unusual metals found within a boulder that fell from the sky outside Windmire. The plate covered his entire body save for his neck and head, and was adorned with gold at his elbows, kneecaps, pelvis, and about his torso. Thick black gauntlets covered his hands, and a huge cape of black fur was draped about his shoulders. On his head, atop his long, receding white hair, sat a black crown with a small inset ruby at the base of his high forehead. His jaw sported an expansive, carefully groomed white beard, and the last of the black hair from his earlier life sprouted in a long, pointed shape from his chin.

"Rise, my children," Garon requested, his deep voice neither warm nor cold, as was merely his demeanor. He inspected Corrin as his "adopted" son rose. A moment later, he extended his arm for a handshake, which the boy eagerly reciprocated. "Your siblings were right. You really have gotten noticeably stronger this past year," he commended.

"Thank you, Father," Corrin responded with a poorly concealed sigh of exhilaration. His father had complimented his strength! He'd feared the day would never come, given that the same fear had led to his confinement in the Northern Fortress. "I trained tirelessly to become a great warrior of Nohr. I hope I can live up to the legacy you have already written."

"My true legacy has yet to be written, Corrin," Garon stated. "My time leading this kingdom is far from over."

"Of course, Father," Corrin said quickly. "I misspoke. I meant only that I dream of becoming as strong, cunning, and wise as you."

Garon chuckled. "Relax, Son. Your meaning was clear enough. You needn't be so defensive."

"Right. I just..." Corrin realized he was sweating and tried to calm himself. "I just want to earn your respect, Father."

"Well then," Garon said, with a vague hint of irony, "it is good that I've prepared a test for you."

Corrin perked up. "A test, Father?" _'Haven't I already completed my test?'_ he thought.

"Have you eaten today?" the king asked bluntly. He received a nod in response. "Good. Get your armor on, then return to me. I have a gift for you."

"A gift?" Corrin inquired. "Thank you, Father."

"Thank me when you know what it is," Garon suggested. "Now go. Zola, show Corrin to his quarters."

A pale, slouching dark mage that had been standing in the shadow of the throne stepped forward. "Yes, sire," he said in a raspy voice. "Come with me, Prince Corrin." With a quick wave to his siblings, Corrin followed Zola out of the chamber.

Immediately, Elise looked pleadingly to her father. "Please, Daddy, you have to tell Corrin the truth!"

"Elise," Xander cautioned.

"He's a man now. He has a right to know who his real parents are!" the young princess begged.

"That is not your concern, Elise," Garon said firmly.

"Elise, please," Xander scolded. "Don't make requests if you don't understand the stakes."

She huffed. "I don't think lying to Corrin is worth whatever tactical whats-it you came up with. Camilla, you agree with me, right?"

Camilla sighed. Elise had brought the subject up with her several times before, and each time she'd given an evasive response that largely fell to the form of "Father knows best." "Elise," she said softly, "Father and Xander know what they're talking about."

Elise pouted. "That's not what you really think."

"Elise, that's enough," Garon declared. "I forbid you to speak further on the matter."

"But..." His stern glare convinced her to shut her mouth. "I understand, Daddy," she sighed.

"Pray tell, Father," Leo chimed in, "what sort of trial will Corrin be facing?"

"A test of strength," Garon replied. "I know Xander has brought out Corrin's affinity for dragon veins, and I want to see it in action."

"He'd need more time if you want to see him tap another dragon vein."

Garon nodded. "I've focused some of my own power into that rubble. Corrin should be able to tap into that power."

"He'll be fighting, then," Camilla gathered. "Who is his opponent?"

The king's lips twitched upward, trying their best to bring a grin to the tired face they inhabited. "I've staged for a legitimate battle. Corrin and two of his attendants, Gunter and the Ice Tribe maid Felicia, versus six Hoshidan prisoners."

"Father, that seems like too much," his eldest daughter protested.

"Relax, Camilla. The prisoners have been considerably weakened. Particularly the ninja, as you'll see."

"Why is that, Father?" Xander asked respectfully, figuring Garon would explain anyway.

"Because he's the bastard who stole Azura from us."

()

Corrin knelt again at the foot of the throne, now adorned in his white armor. "Rise, my son," Garon instructed. When the boy did so, Garon presented him with a sword.

Corrin's eyes widened when he saw the unusual weapon. The black blade appeared to be made from unpolished obsidian, bearing a texture that gave the illusion of a horribly cracked surface. The edge, however, was sharp enough to slice a hair in two. It was broad at the base, and curved twice like the tail of a serpent to a hook-like point. The blade was connected to the dark leather grip by a silver guard with a large, round obsidian inset. Below the handle was a large, smooth, black lower-guard, which would make disarming the wielder extremely difficult. A silver counterweight perched on the side of this lower-guard, allowing the bizarre sword to be swung like a normal weapon. The entire sword visibly radiated some kind of dark energy.

"This," Garon announced, "is Ganglari. It is imbued with magic unknown to this world, and befitting only a great warrior of Nohr." He held the sword flat, offering it to Corrin with both hands.

Corrin nearly shuddered as he accepted Ganglari, intimidated by the mere sight of the fearsome weapon. "Thank you for this generous gift, Father," he said genuinely. "I will prove myself worthy of wielding such a blade."

"Indeed, and you will do so immediately," Garon informed him. "Bring out the prisoners!"

Corrin and his siblings turned around to see, right on cue, a procession of guards marching six Hoshidan prisoners up through a trapdoor on the far side of the hall. Archers surrounded them as they emerged, making an escape attempt unwise. Two samurai, armor broken in several places and clothes somewhat torn, had their hands unbound and were given their damaged iron katanas to fight with. They were followed by a pair of the club-wielding fighters known as Oni savages, who received their iron clubs from the guards. A young, white-haired woman with almost startling six-pack abs was next, and was given a club identical to the others. She wore a simple cloth wrap over her chest that allowed her to display her impressive midriff, and a brass demon mask with horns and false red hair sat on her head. Unlike the grunts, who were clearly nervous and appeared weak as a result of near starvation in the dungeons, the woman held her head high and scowled, bearing her teeth animalistically. The last prisoner to be escorted up the stairs, a green-haired ninja, was by far the worst for wear. His leather armor and underlying clothing were torn nearly to tatters, both of his eyes were blackened, and dried blood was visible on much of his exposed skin. He was sweating profusely and looked ready to pass out, the cause for which Corrin soon discovered. The man's feet had been clad in irons, forcing him to hop up the stairs. By the fresh blood and bruises on his face, Corrin guessed the exhausted ninja had fallen multiple times during the climb. The guard behind him shoved him at the top of the stairs, causing him to fall helplessly to the stone floor again. He was pulled roughly up by another guard, was briskly unbound, and was handed a set of four large iron shuriken, which he could barely hold. In fact, the green-haired man could barely even stand. Despite this, he managed to look up long enough to meet Corrin's eyes, and his own widened in shock.

Kaze leaned on the girl's shoulder and tried fruitlessly to catch his breath. "Gods, Rinkah..." he gasped. "That...boy...agh..."

"What the hell did they do to you, Kaze?!" Rinkah demanded. "You're in no condition to fight anybody."

"Need...to," he managed. "King will...kill...

"Hear me, Nohrian scum!" Rinkah screamed across the room. "You send your prince before Rinkah, daughter of the proud Flame Tribe's chief, to die! Know when he lies still that it was you who killed him!"

"Empty words," Xander whispered to Corrin. "But don't let your guard down. These warriors are desperate. Prepare yourself."

"Thanks, Xander." Corrin stepped forward, raising Ganglari. "I accept your challenge, warrior of Hoshido!"

Gunter rode up beside the young prince on his armored horse, brandishing a worn silver lance. "I shall join you, milord," he told Corrin. "My lance arm is perhaps rusty, but still serviceable."

"Good to have you, Sir Gunter," Corrin said

"Milord, I'll fight as well!" Felicia declared, retrieving a knife from a pocket on the inside of her dress. "I'm as much a bodyguard as I am a domestic, after all."

Corrin smiled. "Well then, good to have you too, Felicia. Let's do this!"

"You've got this, Brother!" Leo assured him. Beside him, Elise and Camilla both failed to find any words of confidence, too caught up in conflicting worries of Corrin being hurt and of him being forced to hurt others.

As soon as he took to the battlefield, Corrin felt a strange sensation. "Hmm..."

"Milord? Is everything alright?" Gunter asked.

"Yeah," Corrin muttered. "I think..." He approached the rubble in the center of the hall and put a hand to it. Closing his eyes, he withdrew his palm and thrust it forward. The stones were blasted to pieces, causing his hair to fling back across his scalp. When he opened his eyes, he found that the raised floor on which the rubble had sat glowed a gentle green.

"Alright, Corrin!" Elise cheered.

Garon nodded in approval. It took a mere moment for the boy to discover and utilize the dragon vein he had created. Corrin truly did have potential.

"Wow, milord," Felicia marveled. She tenderly touched one foot to one of the green floor tiles. "Woah, I feel...invigorated!"

"Shush!" Corrin commanded. "We can lead them back here and fight them while we stand in this area the dragon vein created. Gunter, you go right and hold back the samurai and the ninja, since you've got a lance. Felicia, stay back and toss your knives while I fend off the Oni savages on the left."

"Understood," his retainers replied. Gunter split off to engage Kaze, while Corrin walked toward his group of enemies, knowing that they would all be too tired to exert themselves sprinting at him. Rinkah met him first, and despite her strength, he was able to easily deflect each strike from her shorter club with Ganglari. He backed off steadily, knocking away attacks from the second, then the third warrior. A knife thrown by Felicia struck one of the male savages in the shoulder, but did little to slow his advance. Figuring that they would be able to overwhelm him together, Corrin lunged forward with a wide sweeping attack, forcing his opponents to hop back unsteadily and allowing him more time to back up while Felicia readied another knife. He was almost back to the raised platform that the dragon vein had blessed.

Meanwhile, Gunter had no trouble at all keeping the two samurai at a distance, and effortlessly deflected or outright avoided the slow shuriken tossed by Kaze. He pitied the feeble ninja, tortured to the brink of death and then forced to fight a great knight of Nohr. However, he held his ground firmly, with Corrin's success as his main goal.

Corrin reached the platform and ducked to the side, allowing Felicia to separate one savage from Rinkah and the other by way of a well-thrown knife. Corrin, strengthened by the First Dragons' magic, dashed at the lone enemy and disarmed him with a quick flick on his sword. He followed with a powerful kick to the man's gut, sending him rolling on the floor. Felicia charged forward and stabbed the other man in the gut with her last knife, allowing Corrin to engage Rinkah one-on-one. She cried out in anger and charged him, only to receive a slash across the abdomen that immediately reduced her to lying on the floor and howling in pain.

With the Oni savages dispatched, Corrin turned his attention to Gunter's adversaries. Gunter had smacked one samurai in the head with the butt of his lance, while the other had suffered a gash on his shoulder. The ninja looked a bit more tired, but otherwise the same. With a tinge of regret, Corrin sprinted to the old knight's side and tackled the dizzy samurai to the ground, raising Ganglari to block a shuriken aimed at his head. He turned and deflected a weak chop from the other samurai, allowing Gunter's horse to kick the man over.

Finally, only the ninja was left. Kaze eyed the bloody knife in Felicia's hand, and the lance in Gunter's, before settling on the blade held by the white-haired Nohrian prince. The prince who's entire life had been drastically altered by Kaze's own mistake. He steeled himself, raising a shuriken and attempting to strike Corrin with a melee attack. Corrin easily sidestepped it to the left, and hit Kaze hard over the head with Ganglari's hand-guard. The ninja fell limply to the ground and made no effort to rise.

Corrin frowned, lowering his blade as he looked over his pathetic opponents. He was almost...disappointed. Not necessarily because he wanted a tougher fight, but because he knew that he had been at a massively unfair advantage against the prisoners, who had all evidently suffered under the king's eye. Nevertheless, he had won, and forced himself to appear prideful as he turned to his father. "The fight is over," he proclaimed. "I've won, Father."

"Indeed you have, my son." Garon beckoned. "Guards, bring the defeated Hoshidans here."

Corrin returned to his father's side, and the prisoners were made to kneel before the throne. Kaze could barely even manage that. All of the Hoshidans bled from their wounds, particularly Rinkah, who was holding a shed of cloth ripped from her samurai comrade's shirt to the gash on her stomach. Collectively, they were a depressing sight.

"You fought well, Corrin," Garon acknowledged. "Now, these people are enemies of the state of Nohr. Their crime, aside from employment by the Hoshidan military, is the kidnapping of your sister, Princess Azura."

"Truly?" Corrin took another look at the prisoners. In their current state, they appeared unremarkable; and aside from the ninja, none looked particularly qualified for such a high-priority stealth mission as a royal kidnapping. They didn't even look old enough to be Azura's captors. And why should the Princess of the Flame Tribe have been involved?

"It is true," the King assured. He leaned forward in his throne. "Execute them."

"What?" Corrin took a step back in surprise. "Father, these people are beaten. Surely..."

"'Surely' nothing, Corrin!" Garon snapped. "You've proven your strength, strategic capabilities, and dragon vein affinity to a satisfying degree. Now prove your loyalty. Strike these warriors down!" Still, Corrin hesitated. "Or," Garon added, "would you betray the sister that they stole from you?"

"...No. I...I will do as you request, Father," Corrin said at last. He turned to face the prisoners and walked to the semi-conscious ninja.

Leo was startled by a tug on his arm. "Please, you've gotta do something!" Elise whispered.

"What the...?" Leo scowled. "The hell do you want me to do, Elise?!"

"Anything!" she urged helplessly. Corrin was too sweet, too caring. She knew it would pain him for months, possibly years, if the first people he ever killed were a group of tired, beaten strangers. She struggled with an excuse. "What if...what if the Hoshidans use this as an excuse to go to war?" She pouted. "You wouldn't let Corrin think it was all his fault, would you?"

"Shh! You're being...childish..." Leo wanted to chastise her further, but as he tried to think up a proper comeback, he realized with a start that she might be right. In any case, executing the daughter of the Flame Tribe's chief would create a political issue. And the ninja, Kaze, must have had some standing with the Hoshidan royal family if he'd been the one entrusted with seeking Corrin out in Windmire...

"Father!" Leo called, mentally slapping himself at the same time. Garon wordlessly looked his way. "Perhaps these prisoners are too valuable to kill now. The Flame Tribe is presently neutral in our struggle with Hoshido, and the ninja..." He glanced over to make sure Corrin hadn't killed Kaze yet. Unsurprisingly, Ganglari was in no position to harm anybody, though his brother did wisely keep his eyes trained on the lineup of prisoners. "The ninja is likely favored by Queen Mikoto, to some extent. Maybe we should keep them alive, for now."

Garon frowned, as he was known to do, while he looked back and forth between Leo and Corrin. Thankfully, he seemed to be contemplating the proposal. "Hmm...Well put, Leo," he admitted. "What of the samurai and savages?"

"It may be, that they're close to the Hoshidan royal family, as well," Leo said. He struggled in his haste to keep his ideas coherent, yet found himself partially in agreement with each assertion as they left his lips. "Unless you've confirmed their identities already, of course."

His father regarded the prisoners with contempt, but recognized the truth of Leo's hastily crafted words. "You are correct," he said at last. "Very well. Corrin, stay your blade. The prisoners will be returned to the dungeons!"

Corrin was careful not to turn around until he'd already breathed his sigh of relief. He accepted Ganglari's unique harness from Zola, which would not shelter the magical blade as a sheath would. Ten guards rounded up the unarmed Hoshidan prisoners and marched them across the room, descending back through the trapdoor they'd emerged from.

"I apologize for my hesitation, Father," Corrin said, bowing his head.

"All the better that you did, in this case," Garon conceded. "I let my anger blind me to the drawbacks of my revenge. Nevertheless, in the future, you'd do well to eliminate such hesitations."

"I will, Father."

"Good." Garon's tone shifted, becoming as pleasant as he could manage. "I've postponed a proper reunion for the sake of this test. Now, we can all head upstairs and enjoy a feast to welcome Corrin back to Windmire, and to his position in the Royal Army of Nohr!"

"Well, I'll drink to that!" Leo said.

"You did great, Corrin!" Camilla congratulated him, pulling her brother into another hug. He gently shrugged himself out of it, still smiling. Not a moment later, Elise rushed him from the side and hugged him even tighter, prompting them all to laugh.

"Your strategy was well-thought and well-implemented," Xander praised. "Good work, little prince."

"Thanks, everyone," Corrin said, accepting shorter hugs from both of his brothers. Though he didn't say it, he was thankful that the prisoners had been spared. They'd clearly suffered enough pain and humiliation already. He hoped—scolding himself for thoughts bordering on treachery—that they all managed to make it home someday.

()

The Hoshidans were several hundred meters below the arena of their defeat, just beside an unlocked door that led to an open-air landing, before one of the samurai nodded to the other.

"Hey, what're you—" a guard managed before his charge headbutted him in the face. The guard directly behind the other samurai received the same treatment. Their hands still bound, the pair of prisoners tackled the guards holding the two Oni savages. Wordlessly, the warriors turned on the other guards, as did Rinkah, who twisted around and managed to get around her guard to kick him in the chest. He fell down several steps and into one of the other guards. Satisfied, Rinkah turned to Kaze's guard, evaded the tip of his lance, and yanked it from his hands to hold it behind her back. She managed to force him off Kaze like this while the four other Hoshidans kept the other guards occupied. One of the samurai was punched in the face and stabbed through the gut, but still managed to grab Kaze's guard from behind and pull him down the stairs. They both tumbled into two more guards, who fell on top of them.

"Rinkah, run!" The other samurai ordered. "Don't argue, backup is coming. Get Kaze the hell out of here!" One of the guards smashed his head into the wall and threw him to the ground. The Oni savages continued fighting two guards each, but would not be able to evade them for long with their hands tied. It was only the narrow staircase, a mere two men abreast in width, that had prevented the Nohrians from skewering them thus far. It was a matter of time before they all died.

With a scream of anguish, Rinkah clumsily pulled Kaze over to the door and handed him the lance, which he just barely managed to hold. He cut into the rope binding her hands as she pushed the door open, weakening the material enough for her to rip through the rest herself. Her hands free, she took the lance back and jabbed at one guard who tried to follow them, forcing him to dodge backward. She swung at another guard to the same end before withdrawing the lance, handing it skillfully back to Kaze, while she slammed the door shut. "Let's go!" she yelled. She took their only weapon back once again as they ran, slowed down significantly by Kaze's extreme injuries. She could hear their brothers-in-arms shouting their final battle cries, desperately keeping the Nohrians off the door. Hurriedly, she sliced through Kaze's bindings as they jogged, then dropped the lance in favor of lifting Kaze onto her shoulder. He cried out in pain. "Just hang on!" she told him. She used all of her limited energy to sprint to the edge of the stone platform, which was evidently meant as an emergency landing site for wyvern riders. In the darkness far below, she could make out the river that provided the city's clean water. She set Kaze down on his feet, clutching the wound in her gut and wincing. The door opened behind them, allowing the urgent cries of angry guards—far more than ten—to reach their ears.

"Oh gods, I'm sorry, Kaze," she grunted. He glanced at her just before she pulled him off the edge, and found he was too tired even to scream as they plummeted into the void.


	6. Into the Ground

_August, 2013 AD (two weeks earlier)_

The members of the Hoshidan royal family, seated at a round table in the war chamber on an upper floor of Castle Shirasagi, all wore grim expressions. General Yukimura, a man of just thirty-nine years who had served as chief military advisor to the crown for much of his adult life, was preparing to deliver news that he had prefaced by saying simply, "This is very bad." He'd laid out a geographical map of the continent on the table. He looked to Queen Mikoto, who nodded wordlessly.

Yukimura coughed. "I'll get straight to the point," he said. "Kaze and Rinkah have been captured by Nohrians."

Takumi and Hinoka shared an angry twitch of the mouth, as if the action were rehearsed. Kamui's eyes widened, and she leaned forward on her politely clasped hands, eager for more information. Sakura muffled a gasp with the sleeve of her kimono. Ryoma and Mikoto both held their composure.

"Intelligence suggests they've been taken, along with a few of our soldiers, to Castle Krakenburg," Yukimura continued. "They were assigned to scout out the positions of Nohrian soldiers in the area of Windmire, as well as the city's outer fortifications. The onmyoji in their group, whose primary role was to use cloaking magic to keep them all hidden, is said to have been killed."

"It's odd," Ryoma mused. "Kaze is a master of stealth on his own, and the others' orders were to protect him and Rinkah with their lives. How could they have been captured?"

"We don't know," Yukimura admitted. "But I need to say now, before anyone has any heroic fantasies, that a rescue is truly impossible. The only successful infiltration of Windmire was by a team of ninja including Kaze himself, and kinshi knights cloaked by onmyoji. The Nohrians were unaware of such magic, and the military force present in the city was at an all-time low due to then-ongoing campaigns in Ice Tribe territory, Nestra, and Kohga. We cannot replicate that mission."

"There must be something we can do," Kamui insisted.

"If you believe so, I implore you to think of something," Yukimura replied.

The princess frowned. "Is that a joke?"

He shrugged. "No. I don't consider myself some kind of tactical god. I am, however, rather seasoned in the field, milady."

Kamui sank down into her chair and eyed the floor.

Mikoto cleared her throat. "Do you have anything else to report, Yukimura?"

"More Faceless along the border." He adjusted his glasses. "More unconfirmed reports of Faceless in our lands. That's all for now, but I fear King Garon is mustering his forces for a full-scale invasion."

The thought hung in the still air for a moment. Nobody had any bright ideas or optimistic comments to give. Those had fizzled out years ago. It had been wordlessly accepted by everyone—though Kamui and Sakura would never admit it—that war was inevitable. Now, Ryoma finally decided that it was time to prepare.

"We need more soldiers," he said gravely. Everyone looked at him curiously. "We ought to start recruiting from more rural villages, and from the aristocratic class. We've given Garon years to amass an army, and we know that he hasn't wasted it. I'm also willing to guess that we won't see a formal declaration of war until we've already been attacked."

Yukimura nodded. "My thoughts exactly, milord. If I may say so, I'm glad you finally said it out loud. I'll talk down the chain of command about it. Your Majesty?" he added, seeking Mikoto's approval almost as an afterthought.

She hesitated a brief moment. "See it done, Yukimura," she ordered, though it almost sounded more like a suggestion.

"At once," he replied, already rolling his maps. Ryoma unlocked the heavy iron door, and his siblings and step-mother rose to follow him out the door.

"I hope Kaze's alright," Kamui said aloud.

Hinoka put an arm around her step-sister. "I'm sure he is," she assured her. "Kaze can take whatever those dastards throw at him."

()

Kamui found Azura out by the lake, as usual. The Nohrian had always said her favorite pastime was relaxing at the water's edge. She was singing, as she often did, facing the lake. By now, Kamui had memorized the chilling words of the song she had first heard on Azura's birthday, two years prior. She had taken to calling it "Lost in Thoughts All Alone" when Azura admitted that it had no title.

Kamui listened, captivated, while she approached. " _A legacy of lies, A familiar disguise_ ," Azura sang. She was partway through the second verse.

" _Sing with me a song_

 _Of conquest and fate._

 _The black pillar cracks beneath its weight._

 _Night breaks through the day,_

 _Hard as a stone._

 _Lost in thoughts_

 _All alone._ "

She did not proceed into the chorus.

"Hi, Azura," Kamui called, close enough now that she didn't need to raise her voice.

Azura turned her head. "Oh, hello, Kamui," she said. She continued to look out over the water.

Kamui frowned. "I'm sorry, is something wrong?" she asked. Despite the fact that Azura was technically still a prisoner of war, she and Kamui had become close friends over the course of many years, due in no small part to the Hoshidan princess' occasionally annoying level of perseverance. Like her siblings, Kamui had initially been slow to accept Azura as a member of the family, but within two years she had become dedicated to breaking the bluette's emotional wall and getting to know her for who she was, no longer keen on the unsatisfyingly brief "Nohrian scum" that Hinoka had offered in regards to Azura's character.

That didn't mean that Kamui was as close with Azura as she was with Hinoka and Sakura. Despite hesitantly bestowing Kamui with the title of "friend," Azura always continued to resist sharing her feelings on important things like her imprisonment and King Garon's regime. Kamui had a tough time avoiding these subjects, but decided that it was worth it just to see any part of Azura besides the cold glances that Takumi always received.

"Um, Azura?"

"I'm fine," the taller girl replied. "I was thinking."

Kamui had often told her that she spent too much time "thinking," but she'd finally noticed just a few months ago that the comment got on Azura's untouchable nerves, so she held her tongue. She stood beside her friend, figuring that if she was silent long enough, Azura would realize...

"You've something to ask me?" the Nohrian queried.

"Well...yes," Kamui replied with tactful humility. "Two things, actually." She waited a moment for Azura to nod, a silent approval of the following questions, before continuing. "How do you feel about Kaze? I mean, after all these years—do you feel resentment?"

She noticed Azura's breathing quicken slightly, as if some unpleasant thought or memory had leapt to the front of her mind. "I suppose I've forgiven him," the bluette said thoughtfully, each word tinged with carefully masked regret. "I should say, Saizo, too," she added. "I don't think I ever really blamed Kaze for the incident. The forgiveness was really for Saizo."

Despite Azura's seemingly unwavering serenity, Kamui knew she'd caught her in a hurried lie—she did harbor distaste for Kaze, but to what degree, she wasn't sure. "That's good, I think," Kamui affirmed. "My second question, then, is..." She paused, struggling against an adversity to revealing her own feelings. Her face flushed slightly. "What do you think King Garon will do to Kaze?" She cursed inwardly. Anyone would notice the loss of composure she suffered as she voiced her concerns. Regardless, Azura's answer was more important.

Garon's step-daughter blinked, and she was plainly troubled by the task of developing an acceptable response. "Um," she stammered, a rare occasion. "It's possible that Father won't realize who he is," she suggested.

"And if he does?" Kamui pried anxiously.

"Well...if he does, than Kaze will surely be treated worse than the other prisoners."

"Despite his closeness to Mother?"

Azura did not bite her lip or sigh openly, as many others might have, but her hesitation was obvious.

"...Or perhaps, _because_ of it?" Kamui discerned.

Azura cast a startled glance at her companion. "Um...y-yes." She straightened herself. "That is...I'm sorry, but that is the most likely scenario."

"When you say 'treated worse...'" Kamui's voice was practically quivering. She knew both her question and Azura's inevitable answer, yet she pleaded with the heavens that she would hear anything else. Those same heavens looked to her as though the setting sun had gouged them, leaving blood to trickle across the sky. "You mean that Kaze will be tortured, don't you?"

Azura said nothing. She turned again to Kamui, this time letting her gaze remain on the Hoshidan princess' last attempt at a steeled expression. A single tear was determined to escape the corner of Kamui's eye, but she would not allow it to. A minute or more passed, and the red sky began to turn pink. Then the Nohrian did something that surprised them both. She reached out, took a half-step forward, and hugged her friend.

The tear fell, as did several more before the sun disappeared over the horizon.

()

 _September, 2013 AD (present day)_

Rinkah found it difficult to remain conscious. She then realized it was difficult to breathe.

Followed by yet another startling revelation: she was underwater.

With panicked, pained flailing, the princess of the Flame Tribe forced her way to the surface. She gasped for breath, clinging to the nearest solid object. She quickly recognized it as the sheer stone shore, which was, at this spot, at a slight downward slant and partially submerged. She was in a river, under Windmire, and thankfully not the one teeming with sewage. Her stomach hurt like a bitch, the cause for which was an extremely nasty horizontal wound that ran across her entire abdomen, though it was at least not too deep. _'Too deep...deep...'_

"Kaze!" she exclaimed aloud, her voice reduced to a whisper by the pain. The water moved slowly here. He must be close. Had he landed by her side?

Cutting her still-recovering mind short, she dove straight down. Her ears popped, but that pain was negligible compared to her sword wound and the fear of losing Kaze like this, after good men had sacrificed their own lives for his. She traveled five meters to the smooth stone floor of the river. She felt the wall to get her bearings, then pushed off straight across the river. Nothing. She felt her way down the opposite wall, moving a meter downriver before pushing back across with her arms spread wide. Just before she hit the wall again, she felt her fingertips brush against cloth—Kaze's shirt. She desperately needed air, but he needed it much more. She kicked until she was able to get her arms around him, planted her feet on the floor, and shoved off for the surface. She choked on water when her head broke through, but still managed to get Kaze's head up and lay it on the shore. Keeping a hand on him to keep him from drifting away, she climbed out of the water before dragging him to dry land. She clutched her stomach, from which blood still trickled leisurely.

Kaze wasn't breathing. His chest was still, as were his eyes, which stayed lazily half-open. He did not twitch or move at all.

"Shit, no," Rinkah gasped. "No, Kaze, please!" She had never been trained to help a drowning victim, and she worried that she might know little enough to kill him rather than help him. If he would die either way, though, it was worth trying.

She placed both her hands together on his chest and pushed briskly, hard enough that after fifty compressions, he'd be sure to break a rib. She hoped he didn't need fifty, but eased up slightly anyway. After twenty-five compressions, she tried to recall what to do next. _'Mouth-to-mouth? No, more compressions, right?'_ "Dammit!" she said aloud. "Kaze, don't you die on me!" She continued administering chest compressions.

She got to fifty, certain that it had been too many. "Shit, agh!" She inhaled deeply, clamped her mouth onto his, tilted his head back onto the harsh rock, and did the job his lungs refused to do. "Lazy dastards," she commented before repeating the action. A third breath followed, and a fourth. She began feeling lightheaded, and refrained from making any more explicit remarks, focusing on getting every breath she took into Kaze. She stopped counting. She would have counted eleven before he finally sputtered and coughed up foul water onto her face.

On the verge of passing out herself, Rinkah helped Kaze sit up so he could retch and breath as he pleased. He seemed to do more retching, though the only substance in his gut to be purged was water. His strained body convulsed, but by some miracle, he was alive.

"Oh gods," he managed, his face worryingly pale and his breathing still ragged. "Rinkah..."

"Save your breath," she told him, splashing clean water on her face and rising unsteadily to her feet. "Oh...damn!" she groaned, holding her wound with one arm. She offered the other to her companion, though he waved her away. Slowly, he managed to push himself to his feet.

"...Need to go!" he said, shaking with the effort. He motioned weakly for them to walk north, upriver.

"Where?"

"Don't kn-know."

Rinkah glanced around to properly get her bearings, allowing herself a few seconds to stare up at Castle Krakenburg above them. The landing they'd jumped from was so far away. She realized she was extremely nauseous. She nodded to Kaze, and the pair started half-walking, half-limping their way through the cave.

The walls were rough, often jagged stone, indicating that the tunnel had been blown out with explosives. It was obvious that civilians weren't meant to descend to the river. They passed several water wheels that turned complex gear systems, powering the many automated gates and lifts of Windmire. They did not see any working lifts as they walked because of a routine inspection that was presently underway on the surface.

"I remembered...the date you told me," Rinkah said, still trying to conserve breath. As if just to insult her, her wound still shed blood at a harmlessly slow rate. "For the lifts. Just...I knew we would be alright."

"Good," Kaze replied. He was obviously struggling just to keep on his feet.

Neither of them mentioned that they surely had, at most, one half-hour before the service lifts were working and the tunnel swarmed with guards. Instead, they pressed on in uncomfortable silence. They couldn't run, and there was nowhere to hide. If they were spotted, they would die.

The view of Krakenburg was replaced by a claustrophobic ceiling of rock, and the cave quickly darkened. Sparse torches hung from the walls, far enough from one another that as the Hoshidans passed the first, the next was only a faint orange glow in the distance. Rinkah grabbed each from its sconce and cast them into the water. Past that, the river curved, and the light of the next torch was hidden completely. At least, it seemed to be, but she realized that she could just barely make out its glow around the bend.

It was growing brighter.

"Damn!" Rinkah whispered. Somebody must have been carrying a torch, and was quickly approaching. She tried to think of a plan, but her only idea was to jump back in the river and swim past the oncomers, against the slow but steady current. She'd have no chance, and Kaze looked like he might pass out before he hit the water.

Confirming her fears, the ninja dropped to his knees. "I'm sorry," he said. "I...I ruined...everything." He lowered himself to the ground with the last of his strength.

"No," Rinkah retorted. "We were invisible. Y-you...you didn't fail anyone." She leaned against the wall, letting the arm that had clutched her stomach fall limply to her side. The torch in the distance grew brighter still, and she could make out the silhouette of a person. The person was followed by two more, then by the torch bearer. "The prince...that was him, yeah?" she asked. "Corrin?"

"Yeah."

"Damn." Rinkah squinted. "Wait a minute...Kaze, look!" she urged.

"Huh?" He adjusted his position on the floor, grunting with the effort of each simple movement. "They...they're not Nohrian." His vision was blurring over. "Can't tell who..."

"Stay awake, Kaze," Rinkah commanded. She could now make out the design of the group's clothes. "Hoshidan soldiers!" she told him eagerly. "Ha! Take that, Garon!" Her triumphant exclamation pained her abdomen, but it was worth it.

The moment that the pair came into the advancing torchlight, the leader of the Hoshidan party sprinted to their side. She was a young woman with long brown hair, and though her pink clothes were unusual, it was obvious by her modest armor and the katana at her side that she was a samurai. "My name is Hana, retainer to Princess Sakura," she said immediately when she reached them. She knelt to bring her face close to Kaze's. "Kaze, you remember me, right?"

His reply took him a moment. "Yes. Yeah, I...I know..."

"Nohrian dastards tortured him," Rinkah growled. "He's in bad shape."

Hana stood. "Azama, check him," she directed a green-clad monk who appeared to be the group's healer. He also appeared rather eccentric, with wild hair that was bound at the base and towered above his head. He nodded and got to work, waving a Hoshidan healing festal purposefully over the ninja while feeling his beaten body for spots that were...more beaten, he supposed.

"He's in no state to move on his own," Azama reported. "No time to get to a decent Hoshidan hospital. We'll need to get him to Cyrkensia." He stood. "You're a lucky man, Kaze!" he added cheerfully. "Alive, off your feet, and headed for a vacation!"

"You've an odd definition of luck, monk," Rinkah remarked as two of the twelve Hoshidan newcomers moved Kaze onto a stretcher and lifted him.

He shrugged, giving her an irritating smirk. "If we actually make it out of here and to Cyrkensia, you'll consider all of us quite lucky."

"Move, people!" Hana ordered. "They'll be after us any second! Go!"

Despite her wound, Rinkah was able to keep up without much trouble due to the slow pace of Kaze's carriers. "Who sent you?" she asked Hana as they jogged.

"Princess Kamui," the samurai replied curtly.

"Truly?" Rinkah hadn't expected to be rescued on the young princess' orders. Then again, she hadn't been expecting a rescue at all. "On what grounds?"

"The service lifts are under scheduled maintenance today."

"I knew that."

Hana shot her charge a glare. "Then you know that this was the only time that you could have escaped. I can tell you honestly, with no ill bearings, that you should both be dead right now." Realizing that she sounded too hostile, she added, "I'm grateful for the great deal of luck I've had in finding you alive."

Rinkah needed a minute to digest that harsh truth. "Thank you, Hana," she finally said. "You took a great risk coming here. Kaze would have perished, and myself with him, if you did not."

"Just following orders."

They spotted a lift up ahead, back in action after the maintenance had either been completed or cancelled. It was rising, and a squad of ten newly delivered Nohrian soldiers stood below, ready to receive the Hoshidan company. "Form up!" Hana directed. "Setsuna, take out those archers!"

A girl with green-blue hair claimed her bow from her back and nocked an arrow from the quiver on her waist. She dropped to her knees and slid along the ground as she pulled the string back and fired at the first of two Nohrian archers, still over fifty meters out. The man didn't stand a chance as the arrow pierced his neck. Without moving, Setsuna shot a second arrow at the other enemy archer, hitting them in the shoulder and causing them to drop their own bow. Her comrades, with the exception of the rescued prisoners and Azama, charged past her with their weapons drawn. Setsuna quickly jumped to her feet and loosed another arrow to finish off the wounded archer.

Hana headed her squad, leaping over a low sweep from an enemy's lance before cutting him and the myrmidon next to him down. She knocked away a vertical chop from another swordsman, and her team was upon the Nohrians. They attacked aggressively, swiftly cutting down each soldier before they could prepare a solid defense. Within moments, each Nohrian was dead, and the worst wound suffered by any Hoshidan was a graze across the arm. Kaze was lifted again, and the party continued on, though Setsuna seemingly lost her exceptional poise and nearly tripped twice while stepping over the corpses. Rinkah stooped down to grab a fighter's blood-spattered axe, figuring she could make use of it if more soldiers arrived.

Fortunately, she didn't need to. They had passed the last lift within the city limits, and it was a long way to the next. Hana told her that her team had commandeered the lift to enter the tunnel, and that they wouldn't have much time before it was once more secured by the enemy. A single ninja remained above ground to operate the lift, and to defend it from any soldiers that might come. Any minute now, twelve kinshi knights, twelve falcon knights, and twelve onmyoji would arrive at the rendezvous point, another two kilometers north of Windmire. The lift came into view just a couple of minutes after Hana had finished her explanation. It was still on the floor of the tunnel, unguarded, and was just large enough for the entire party. Once they had squeezed on, giving Kaze some extra room, they began to rise. The climb out was long and slow, giving Rinkah an unwanted opportunity to consider how out of breath she was, and how awfully her legs and entire torso ached. "Hana, where...are we?" she managed to say, gasping with every other word.

"Not far from the Outer Wall," the samurai answered. "Draw your weapons, everyone. Our guy should be alone. If you see anyone that isn't a ninja, kill them."

Before they reached the top, however, a ninja with reddish-brown hair appeared over the edge of the hole and shared a glance with Hana. A metal mask covered the lower half of his face. "Never mind, people," she announced. "Saizo's alone."

The platform stopped once it was level with the earth around it, with very little space between the metal rim and the dirt shaft. Saizo tensed up upon seeing his brother Kaze reduced to a pathetic sack of bruised and bloodied flesh. "Is he conscious?" he demanded.

"I think so," Hana told him. "But he's in bad shape, and we've got to get the hell out of here. I was hoping to be halfway to the rendezvous by now. We're going to Cyrkensia." She delivered every word with purpose, as though she were the lead in a carefully rehearsed play.

The party resumed their jog heading northwest, directly away from Windmire. Saizo found the pace to be painfully slow, but was simultaneously thankful for the opportunity to speak to Kaze. "Kaze, it's me, Saizo," he said, as near to his brother's head as he could manage. Kaze's head moved, but his eyes didn't open. "Can you hear me, Brother?"

After a moment, a nearly inaudible reply escaped Kaze's lips. "S-Sai-...Saizo..."

Saizo breathed a sigh of relief. It would be a long flight to Cyrkensia, likely lasting for more than two days when accounting for the rests that their mounts would need. Kaze needed to hold out until then. "Just concentrate on my voice, Kaze," Saizo instructed him. "You need to stay awake, just until we can patch you up. Listen to me." Kaze gave little indication as to whether he heard, but he did manage to cling to consciousness.

"Nohrians at the lift!" Hana called out. "Hand Kaze off to me and Saizo. We need to run!"

The transfer was made quickly, and the party picked up their pace significantly. Rinkah had to grind her teeth together to avoid gasping or cursing; her wound felt as though it were ablaze, and her lungs and muscles ached fiercely, but she knew she couldn't afford to slow the others down. They crested a sizable hill only partially covered by dry grass, descended the other side, and climbed another hill before Hana finally gave the order to slow down. On the opposite slope, several kilometers from Windmire and completely out of sight of the watchtower guards, the air seemed to grow thicker and almost shimmer over a large area. Rinkah followed the Hoshidans slowly into this subtle distortion, and discovered that the twenty-four winged beasts on which they would escape were standing inside, along with their riders and the squad of onmyoji maintaining the crude bubble of invisibility.

The magicians continued their work while Kaze's cot was strapped to a unique harness in the saddle of a falicorn, and was buckled in to keep him from falling. Azama climbed on behind the ninja to keep him alive with his festals. Hana ushered Rinkah onto another falicorn's back and followed her up. Each of the other Hoshidan soldiers and the onmyoji took their seats behind the beasts' riders, and the barrier of invisibility evaporated. As they took off, they saw a procession of dozens of Nohrians at the base of the hill nearer to the city. A few archers tried to take shots, but by the time they'd all nocked arrows, the Hoshidans were out of range.

"By the gods, we made it," Hana sighed. She cleared her throat. "To Cyrkensia! Kaze needs a hospital! Eastward until we clear Windmire!" She slid back in the large saddle and watched the ground shrink away beneath her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rinkah suddenly slump over. She shot to attention and grabbed the girl by both arms. "Princess, are you all right?" Hana demanded.

Rinkah hesitated. "No," she said, nearly losing her balance with the effort. "I...I'm so tired, ma'am."

"Dammit, of course you are," Hana cursed. "We brought a second stretcher. I should have put you on it."

"I guess...I should have asked." Rinkah looked down and noticed that her wound still hadn't stopped bleeding. The reason was now painfully obvious to her. She'd never properly dressed the damn thing, and she'd been running for what felt like an hour. "Any chance you brought a second healer?"

"No, but I'll have Azama tend to you once we land. Can you stay awake for a couple of hours?"

Rinkah groaned involuntarily. "Yeah. First time flying. I can distract myself by sightseeing."

"Good," Hana said simply, careful not to patronize the proud warrior. "This is pretty much over."

"Yeah," Rinkah murmured again. She turned her head to get one more glimpse of Windmire disappearing in the distance. _'Heh...I almost died there,'_ she thought. _'Haha...ha...holy shit.'_

()

Leo paced briskly across the floor in front of the colossal double doors that marked Castle Krakenburg's throne room, muttering "shit, shit" under his breath repeatedly. His siblings stood uneasily off to the side. Xander and Camilla argued over the matter of the Hoshidan prisoners' wounds at the conclusion of Corrin's battle, a heated dispute they had been carrying out quietly since Corrin declared his victory. (Xander had noted immediately that, aside from Kaze, the soldiers had not taken enough hits to warrant collapsing on the floor. Camilla had stopped him from intervening when Leo called for them to be spared, and mere minutes later, the two prisoners of value escaped.) Elise was in tears, certain that it was entirely her fault for asking Leo to act, while Corrin kept his arm around her shoulders and assured her that this was not the case.

The fact that they hadn't been let in yet worried Leo immensely. When the report of the escape had reached them—followed by the subsequent report of ten dead Nohrian soldiers in the reservoir tunnel—their father had pushed away his plate and stormed out of the dining hall. After that, none of them had much of an appetite. Everyone, with the exception of Camilla, blamed themselves for the disaster, and though both Leo and Xander considered Garon partially at fault for agreeing to spare the prisoners, they didn't dare bring that up with even the slightest possibility that he might hear them. Despite being their father, he wasn't known for being understanding when he was in a rage.

That isn't to say that King Garon was never agreeable. He was often grim, but he was not known to become enraged easily. Even then, his older children could recall a time when he was downright happy whenever he was with his family, despite the ever-worsening state of the nation. But that was two decades ago, as Xander bitterly reminded himself whenever such memories crept into his mind.

The doors started to swing open slowly, pushed by a pair of stone-faced, strong-looking butlers. Leo immediately ceased his pacing and stood rigidly in front of the threshold, catching sight of his father at the foot of his throne, exactly one hundred and ten meters across the colossal hall. A carpet of red velvet, fit for three soldiers abreast, ran from the door to the throne and split the chamber cleanly into two symmetrical halves. To its left and right were two stone canopies that extended to the walls, supported by marble columns that sank into thinner, parallel red carpets. Numerous golden chandeliers and lanterns filled the darkly painted room with light.

The entire room was designed to intimidate visitors. From the entrance, they were six steps below the majority of the hall, making the whole thing feel impossibly large. These steps were a meter from either side of the main carpet, as well as straight ahead one-third of the distance across the room. On this upper floor, golden candelabras spaced ten meters apart glowed dimly between the carpets. The throne itself sat at the top of a wide, double-length stair, in a large round alcove decorated with intimidating ebony vines across the wall. The walls under the canopies contained small rooms that once would have hosted tables during royal parties; this use had long since been set aside, in favor of housing Garon's elite guard whenever his court was in session.

King Garon beckoned his children. His expression was sour, but vague; it was impossible to gauge where his anger was presently directed. Leo solemnly led the others into the room. But when he was halfway along, he noticed Xander walking at his side, just slightly faster. The younger brother considered this for a moment, then decided not to increase his pace, allowing himself to be completely overtaken by the time the royal children reached the foot of the throne. Xander centered himself and knelt at the edge of the carpeted steps that rose to meet the king's boots. Leo and the others took their cue to kneel behind the crown prince. Xander did not yet speak, opting to concede the first word to his father.

Garon gave a groaning sigh as he composed himself, again expressing in great detail the directionless rage he struggled to contain. "Rise, my children," he calmly commanded. His eyes wandered over each of his offspring, noting the forced rigidity of their motions. "I do not hold any of you accountable for the escape of the two Hoshidan prisoners."

His words lifted a weight off Elise's shoulders and she relaxed, though her typical smile remained absent. Camilla, on the other hand, thought something felt off about her father's tone. "Were the ten guards in the tunnel our only casualties?" she asked.

"That is correct," he answered plainly. "Fortunately, the prisoners were unable to kill any of the castle guards." He growled quietly at the floor. "We shouldn't have conducted elevator maintenance on the same day every year, and soldiers should have been stationed in the tunnels while it was happening. For this oversight, the Director of Defense of Windmire has been demoted, and his pay and privileges have been docked."

"Everyone made mistakes today, Father," Xander insisted. "This was blind luck on the Hoshidans' part. We won't let anything like it happen again." He made a mental note to pay the old DDW's family a visit, to make sure he was alive.

"Amen," Leo added.

Garon nodded, reigning in his displeasure. "Well said." He straightened himself, and gestured for his children to rise. "In any case, I was planning to call you all here after supper anyway." He looked to Corrin. "I've a task for you, if you're ready to accept it. Your first mission out in the field."

Corrin nodded, trying not to let his surprise show. "Of course, Father. What would you have me do?"

"There's a Hoshidan fortress near the midpoint of the Bottomless Canyon that we believe to be abandoned," the king explained. "I would like you to investigate the premises."

"Doesn't sound too troubling," Corrin mused. "Consider it done, Father."

"I'll go with him," Camilla declared.

"No you won't, Princess." A man's voice spoke up from behind her. She turned to see Iago, chief advisor to the king and most obnoxious mage in Nohr, strut by in his elegant black robes with red and gold highlights and a collar of loud red crow feathers. As usual, he wore a golden headpiece that covered one eye and jutted out from his forehead like a misplaced rhinoceros horn. His shoulder-length black hair fell behind him, save for two clumps that maneuvered around his face and ended just below his collarbone.

"Your presence would muddy the results," Iago continued as he took King Garon's side. "Recall that this is still Corrin's test."

Camilla ignored him, casting her eyes instead at his master. "Father?"

"He speaks my word, Camilla," Garon confirmed. "Corrin will be joined by his retainers, as well as a warrior I've hand-picked, by the name Hans. He will join us momentarily."

"Father," Elise piped up, "won't it be dangerous for Corrin to be out at the border?"

"He's proven that he can handle a little danger," her father affirmed. "Besides, if he wants to be a Nohrian military leader like your brothers and sister, he needs to be willing and able to go beyond situations and regions that he's used to."

She frowned and slumped her shoulders. Her real question, which she'd left unsaid, had been ignored. _'What if_ they _find him?'_

"I'll be fine, Elise," Corrin said, putting an arm around her.

She forced herself to smile. "Oh, I know you will!"

The double doors at the other end of the room opened, and a burly man began walking toward the throne. He was bald, clean shaven, and wore no shirt so as to show off his intimidating physique. He held his head aloft, but something in his stride suggested to Corrin that he was of a barbaric nature.

"This is Hans," Garon informed them all. "He is a skilled commander and unrivaled berserker."

Xander tensed, but said nothing.

Corrin extended his hand to the newcomer. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Hans," he said formally.

Hans smirked. "Pleasure." He did not return the handshake.

"You'll leave by caravan three days from now," Garon instructed. "Sir Gunter and the maid, Felicia, will have already been informed when you next see them. I have faith you'll succeed."

"Thank you, Father," Corrin concluded. He followed his siblings in moving to leave the room. As they walked, Xander nudged him lightly.

"I wouldn't trust that man, Hans," the elder brother whispered.

"Why is that, Brother?"

Xander glanced around warily. "He's a murderer and a scoundrel. Used to lead a group of mountain bandits. As ruthless as he is bloodthirsty. I arrested him myself years ago."

"...Oh," was all Corrin could say.

"Indeed. Father seemed to think he's reformed, but I'm less certain. Keep an eye on him."

"I will." Corrin glanced up at his brother. "Thank you, Xander." He was just about shuddering with anxious anticipation. He would be conducting his first real mission within half a week—with an ex-bandit leader by his side. The thought terrified him, but he couldn't say it wasn't also exciting. He felt as though destiny was eagerly calling to him, after so many years of being drowned out by walls of stone.


	7. A Tentative Rejoicing

_September, 2013 AD_

Kaze was still breathing, but he had slept through the last twenty-four hours. Rinkah was also asleep, though she enjoyed a more comfortable rest than Kaze. Azama had numbed the gash on her abdomen, alleviating her of the sharp pain that had plagued her throughout their first night in the air. She was now strapped into a harness identical to the ninja's, snoring soundly.

The Hoshidans had been traveling for three full days since escaping Windmire, stopping only for a few hours at a time to give themselves and their mounts a little sleep. With their fourth night approaching, the sun just dipping down below the horizon, they finally saw the faint glimmer of the city of Cyrkensia in the distance.

Cyrkensia belonged to the kingdom of Nestra, which laid claim to lands southeast of Cheve, as well as the coastline far south of Ice Tribe territory. Nestra controlled the entire coastline between the Ice Tribe and Mount Garou, and thus housed several seaports that allowed traders to sail far south of the supposedly cursed Bottomless Canyon. Due to the lack of ports in Nohr, and for that matter of profitable ports in Hoshido, the most widely used international trade routes remained neutral throughout political conflicts.

Hana ordered her mount's master to maneuver about the squadron of twenty-four winged beasts, yelling to each rider that they wouldn't be stopping again until they reached the city. She could tell that every man, woman, and beast was completely exhausted—especially the beasts. Another day like this, and they would have started dropping right out of the air.

It took several more hours to reach Cyrkensia, and sunrise was only a couple of hours away when the Hoshidans finally landed. Security was as light as ever, despite talk of war between the two great kingdoms. The city had no strategic value besides international trade, making it useless to warmongers, so the police were not typically worried about soldiers and mercenaries bringing in weapons. In fact, several nations, including both Nohr and Hoshido, sometimes contributed soldiers to the city's police force in order to quell more domestic threats, such as drunken fights, debt disputes, and rarely, gang violence or anarchist threats.

It took mere minutes for Rinkah and Kaze to be checked into the largest and most prestigious of three Cyrkensian hospitals, in the center of the sprawling city. An administrative tower rose out of the center of the rooftop, almost rivaling the ten floor high-rise apartment buildings, hotels, and casinos that surrounded it on all sides.

After requesting Hoshidan guards and providing the staff with the non-incriminating version of her story, in which the injuries sustained by Rinkah and Kaze "were suffered on official Hoshidan military business," Hana left the hospital. Half of her squad met her on the street, with the riders gone to check their mounts into the stables. She gave a quick smile and nod to indicate that the rescued captives were alright. With that confirmation, the group dispersed save for Saizo, Azama, and Setsuna.

"Well, that went better than expected!" Azama declared cheerfully. "All that's left is to find a cozy bed and die for a while."

"Yeah...I'm tired," Setsuna said in her far-off voice. Others often got the impression that the spacy girl was always tired.

Hana sighed. "I'm right with you. The last time I was here, I stayed at the Dancing Blossom hotel. It's owned by a Hoshidan merchant. Ten-floor building, red with pink blossoms painted on, and nicely furnished. It's not far south from here."

"Thanks," Setsuna replied, starting to walk due north up the street.

"Azama, make sure Setsuna gets there," Hana requested.

He made no move to follow the archer. "They say that the way of nature is to wander," he said impishly. "Brings one closer to the gods." Hana glared at him. He chuckled. "I will get Setsuna to the hotel."

"Please." With the monk gone, only Hana and Saizo remained. Even through his mask, a sour expression was clearly visible. "Is something bothering you?" she asked.

The ninja was silent for a moment. "I'll kill Garon for what he's done," he growled. "This is the second time he's dishonored my brother; the first was the ambush at Cheve all those years ago. The dastard cannot go unpunished."

"Saizo..." Hana glanced around to make sure nobody was listening. She took a step closer and whispered, "I agree that the man is a monster. But for now, we need to play it safe. Queen Mikoto still believes war can be avoided if she can get to Corrin."

"Ha!" Saizo scoffed. "Did Princess Sakura tell you that? It's shit," he remarked bitterly. "The queen knows we're going to war one way or the other." He met her gaze. "Prince Ryoma told me that," he added.

Hana groaned. "Now's not the time for this kind of talk, anyway. We should both get some real sleep." She thought a moment. "That's an order."

Saizo tensed, then let out a deep sigh. "Yes, ma'am."

"Thank you." Hana smiled weakly. "Just for one day, pretend you're on vacation."

"Last one we'll ever get," he proposed grimly.

Hana simply shrugged.

()

"Is this truly what Nohrian princes wear at these occasions?" Corrin asked.

Lilith frowned, losing her patience with the prince. "Alright, it's not funny anymore, milord. For the third time, yes! Your brothers will be wearing very similar outfits."

"Sorry," he said quickly. "I'm just not used to this, is all." He found his current outfit to be more flamboyant and impractical than any he could remember wearing in his life. His silken underclothes were comfortable, at least, but the thick black fur coat that hung over his silver-garnished red jacket was rather cumbersome. He couldn't remember ever wearing a necklace, either, so the thin golden chain around his neck felt utterly alien.

"Have you ever worn a crown, milord?" Lilith inquired, arms extended to him. In her hands sat a red pillow, upon which rested an intricate golden band with a single black onyx set into the front.

"Not my own, no." Corrin cautiously took the headpiece and gazed at it. It was a symbol of his noble blood, but also a proclamation of his strength. Everyone at the feast tonight would know that he had earned his place at his father's side. The thought filled him with pride, but in truth, it also made him slightly nauseous. He tentatively placed the crown atop his unruly white hair.

Lilith practically squealed. "You look wonderful, Corrin!" She stuttered. "Er, I mean, milord!"

He laughed. "It's fine, Lilith. Just mind you don't slip in front of Father."

"Of course, milord." Her smile returned. "Have fun tonight, and please feel free to call on me at any time."

"Thanks," he replied. "But please, just enjoy yourself! I'll be fine."

They left his chambers and walked together down to the main hall, where nobles would already be arriving for the party. The blood from Corrin's battle had been cleaned up days ago, before the Hoshidan escapees were even out of the city, and the rubble he'd launched across the room with the dragon vein's power had been cleared out. The floors had also been waxed to give them a pristine sheen. When they reached the double doors directly behind Garon's throne, Lilith bowed to Corrin and walked off toward the servants' more subtle side entrance. Corrin briefly waved to her as she departed, then with a steadying deep breath, asked the pair of guards in front of him to open the door.

His father and siblings had already arrived. As Lilith had said, Xander, Leo, and Garon all wore similar outfits and crowns to his own, though the king's jacket appeared to be woven from dragon scales—an incredibly rare and highly treasured material, but not good for much besides showing off, due to their weight and ineffectiveness against simple sword thrusts. Elise wore a strapless yellow dress with matching gloves, sported diamond stud earrings and a dangling gold necklace with a small inset ruby, and had a small silver tiara perched on her blond curls. Camilla had donned a dark violet dress with a low-cut V-neck and a lengthy slit up her left leg, golden hoop earrings about the size of Elise's wrists and a violet choker with an inset onyx, and an obsidian tiara that stood out brilliantly against her lavender hair.

Corrin found it was difficult to take his eyes off Camilla, but he managed it. "Hi, everyone," he said to get their attention. "Sorry I'm late."

Camilla smiled broadly. "Ooh, you look dashing, Corrin!" she doted, drawing him into a hug. She noted happily that he did not try to squirm out of it, and she instead let him go after a few seconds.

"Thanks, Sister." He accepted a more innocent hug from Elise a moment later.

"Yeah, you can almost pull that look off!" Leo remarked with blatant sarcasm in his voice.

Elise stuck out her tongue. "You should take notes, Leo!"

Corrin turned to his father and bowed. "There's no need for that, my son," Garon assured him. "Tonight is your night, after all." With that, he gave Corrin a firm handshake, and after a moment of obvious hesitation, a quick embrace.

Corrin was stunned. "Thank you, Father," he managed. He had never been hugged by Garon before, and for that matter, Elise had lamented an absence of genuine warmth from her father since Azura's kidnapping, twelve years before. He felt a well of emotion brimming inside of him—at last, he hoped, he had proof that his father loved him.

Garon's eyes flicked over the couple dozen nobles that had gathered at the other end of the hall, waiting for the sun to completely set outside and mark the official start of the party. All of their eyes were on him, and he could tell they were whispering amongst themselves. Nevertheless, he decided that he could sacrifice a little of his rigidly stoic image tonight, only for a moment. "All of you, my children," he said to his princes and princesses. They looked at him inquisitively. "I know it has been hard for all of you, to come and go without laying a hand on me for years at a time." He paused again, choosing his words carefully. "I did it to strengthen the image of Nohr's godlike king, and to make all of you as strong as I need you to be; strong enough to lead an army. But right now, I will concede to my heart one exception. Forgive me for being so long a mourner and a king...and embrace your father, if only this once." He outstretched his arms.

Elise made to throw herself around him, but Leo steadied her with a light tap on the arm. With a slight shift, she corrected herself and respectfully hugged her father for the first time in a decade. She felt her eyes well up with tears, but remembered her makeup just in time to control herself and accept the kerchief Xander produced from his breast pocket.

Leo was next, figuring he might as well, since he'd already moved to guide Elise. He stepped forward warily, but when he felt his father's arms around him, his defenses melted. He forced himself to remember that this loving man was rarely the persona of King Garon. But dammit, right now, his father was embracing him after so many years of distant respect that had scoffed at love. He almost cried, himself.

()

Corrin quickly realized that he'd need time to get used to the idea of these formal parties. As the night went on, he felt increasingly overwhelmed by the amount of people and activity, yet simultaneously became bored due to the fact that essentially all of the activity was either talk of things he didn't understand or the ramblings of drunken fools. Most of the time, he just lingered by the two buffet tables and nibbled until he could not eat anymore. It was midnight when he was snapped out of his semi-vegetative state by a tap on the shoulder from his older sister.

"Would you like to dance, Corrin?" Camilla asked, her violet eyes sparkling.

He was sorely unprepared to answer that question. "Uh...sure," he managed, instantly feeling hot in the face as he realized what he'd agreed to.

She grinned. "Great! Come on, they just finished clearing the floor for dancers." She grabbed him by the arm and led him toward the center of the hall. Corrin forced himself to remain calm, knowing that their father would surely be able to see him if he were floundering about. Noticing the uncertainty in his expression, Camilla frowned. "Have you had anything to drink, Corrin?"

"Uh, a couple glasses of...of wine," he answered unconvincingly.

Camilla chuckled. "So just water?"

"Yeah, just water."

"Well there's your problem!" she laughed. She plucked a glass of champagne from a nearby butler's silver platter and handed it to Corrin. "Water is important, of course, but there's nothing wrong with a little something to help loosen up. I've spotted you a couple times, just milling about the buffet tables. You're having a lousy time, aren't you?"

He tried to protest, but nothing came to mind. "Well...yeah."

She laughed again. "Corrin, I'd be willing to say that most people are lousy at parties like this. That..." She pushed the glass to his lips. "...is what alcohol is for."

Reluctantly, he took a sip. Lowering the glass, he looked at Camilla, who waved her hand in a "go on" gesture. With a sigh, he downed the rest in one gulp. The bitter substance burned his throat and left a bad taste in his mouth, but he supposed there were plenty of worse things in the world.

Camilla clapped lightly a few times. Whether it was sarcastic or not, it certainly felt patronizing. "That's the spirit!" she said, still giggling.

"Alright, alright," he grumbled, placing the glass back on the tray and thanking the butler. "So...dancing."

She laughed again. His innocent naïvety would never cease to amuse her. "Surely your pretty maids have shown you the ropes?"

He shifted uncomfortably. His coat felt incredibly hot and heavy. "Er, not really. They taught me to ballroom dance without stepping on their toes, but that was about the end of that. Flora, uh..." He chuckled. "She said a little awkwardness is charming."

"It's cute, but you're very well-spoken and strong," Camilla argued. "I think you should practice some more with me. You need confidence in your step."

"Um...alright," Corrin replied. He noticed that a few of the torches were being dimmed or snuffed out, and the band was slowing down before entering into a new song.

"Ah! Perfect timing!" the princess exclaimed, leading him to the middle of the dance floor.

"Yeah," he whimpered to himself. "Great..."

The next song began, far too slow for the prince's liking. Camilla turned to face him and stepped close. "You know what to do?"

"Yeah," he managed. He hoped the low light was obscuring his red face. He held Camilla's left hand with his right, and with an obvious moment's hesitation, placed his left hand on her hip. Her right hand was on his shoulder, and she stared into his eyes. He noticed that they were almost exactly the same height, despite her black shoes providing very little. He also couldn't help but notice that she was standing very close.

"Well, lead on, Corrin," she whispered gently.

Willing his breathing to ease up, he took the first step. Camilla followed gracefully. He wasn't particularly clumsy, but his inexperience was obvious to anyone that happened to glance at the two siblings. He tried not to feel too self-conscious as he watched Camilla follow each of his awkward steps with ease.

He decided to look around to see if his other siblings were on the floor. He quickly spotted Xander by the throne, just a few meters from King Garon. Xander was dancing with a young, pretty blond noblewoman who, as the prince's expression betrayed, was a little too close. The king appeared to be speaking, unamused, with the girl's father. In fact, a sizable line of young ladies, most with one or both noble parents, had gathered near the throne. Each of them evidently waited for their turn to dance with Garon's heir.

Corrin also noticed a small group of men about his age on the other side of the throne. A few were staring at him, and he realized they must have been looking to dance with Princess Camilla. He blinked the thought out of his head.

He actually laughed—and cringed—when he spotted Leo and Elise nearby, gesturing to show Camilla what was so funny. Leo had apparently been approached by, or perhaps charged with, Peri, Xander's possibly-mentally-ill retainer. She had been convinced to don a bright dress with a wild pattern in the same pink and blue as her hair. She was presently grinning innocently and stomping on Leo's feet every other time she moved, all while squeezing him against her despite his ferocious blush and hushed protests. Elise, meanwhile, was dancing with Xander's other retainer Laslow, who looked twice her height and visibly struggled to adjust his flawless steps against the cheerful girl's erratic movements.

The comedy was only a brief respite, however, as Camilla shortly turned her head back to face him again. Her soft eyes seemed to bore into his own, and his throat felt as though it had become tangled in itself. The heat in his chest threatened to burn a hole through his flesh. The obscene amount of sweat coming off him was dampening his underclothes. It was difficult to tell in the dim hall, but his vision appeared to be blurring slightly. He felt faint, and bile welled within him and rose into his mouth. He swallowed it back down with a poorly masked grimace.

Abruptly, Corrin pushed Camilla away. "I-I'm sorry," he muttered. "I feel ill. I need to get to the washroom." She held lightly onto his arm, but he hurriedly pulled himself free. Without another word, he took off at a brisk, shaky walk and fled the dance floor.

Camilla nearly broke down in tears on the spot. Immediately, she concluded that it was her fault her partner had left—she'd pushed him too far, teased him too much at once, or maybe one too many times. He was disturbed, even disgusted by her actions. He'd caught on to her impure intentions and instantly rejected her.

She breathed deeply, trying to hide her distress. She could easily ruin her nationwide reputation for serenity if she made a scene at a party like this.

She tried to think rationally. Her affections could certainly have been noticed by Corrin, and he certainly might have been made uncomfortable by the idea, but that didn't necessarily mean he'd rejected them. After all, he'd been pale with nausea, showing no signs of anger. Besides that, she realized, he might not have discovered her true intent at all. He was, of course, dancing in a heavy coat, with a beautiful woman, in a rather warm room full of strangers. He'd also downed a glass of champagne a few minutes earlier, after making it clear that he was at least mentally averse to alcohol.

She smiled at the innocence. It might have very well been that Corrin was simply hot and nervous, and that the combination had made him a little sick. Father did think Corrin was naturally frail due to his albinism, and Camilla figured that that might have contributed as well. Her little brother probably hadn't even let the thought cross his mind that...

Camilla stopped herself. She deliberately set a sultry grin across her face and turned toward the throne, where her potential suitors were clearly growing impatient. The least she could do, she thought with a chuckle, was to give them a minute or two of dancing for their trouble.

()

In the nearby washroom, Corrin fought the bile back down his throat. He didn't know why he was falling apart like this. This was his first public appearance ever and he was excusing himself to retch! Aside from feeling lightheaded and sweaty, he was seriously annoyed with himself. Was it the drink? The people? Was it...Was it dancing with Camilla?

Gods, he wanted to slap himself. Why should dancing with his sister upset him like this? Surely, he could acknowledge her grace and beauty without acting like he was infatuated! He shuddered at the very thought. His gods-damned sister! It wasn't as though he'd never seen a woman before. For crying out loud, he'd lived with three pretty girls all his life—Felicia, Flora, and Lilith—yet he'd never felt this fire in his gut when they drew his bath or taught him to dance.

He held his head and steadied himself. He was very hot. With a deep breath, he realized just how ridiculous he was being. He _had_ been uncomfortable dancing with his maids, just not to this extent. But at present, he also had heavy clothing, a crowd of strangers, a full stomach, and a glass of rather hard champagne to factor in. Of course, he would obviously feel worse now than he had at the Northern Fortress. That wouldn't have anything to do with who he danced with. Besides, the very fact that he was disgusted by a potential...attraction...to Camilla served to prove the lack thereof.

Shakily, Corrin brought himself to his feet. He loosened his coat, splashed some water from the basin on his face, and evened out his breathing. He grinned in the mirror just to prove to himself that he could. He was fairly confident now that he could go the rest of the night without making a fool of himself.

()

Elise skipped cheerfully to the table where her youngest brother sat, sipping a cocktail. "Hey, Leo!" she chirped as she claimed the empty seat at his side.

"Peri's sitting there," he mumbled.

"Oh, okay," Elise said. "I'll move."

"Nonono!" Leo exclaimed. "Erm, that is...ugh." He took another sip. "Look, just stay there, okay?"

Elise chuckled. "Rough night?"

"She's a nightmare!" he said. Glancing around, he dropped his voice to a whisper. "That woman is completely insane. I've been trying to drop her all night."

"Have you tried asking her to leave?"

Leo paused. "Well...I..."

Elise laughed out loud. "Oh, gosh, Leo! So you're just going to sit and complain?"

"Hey, I'm not joking, Elise," he retorted. "Peri's actually crazy. According to Xander's men, she's got a fondness for blood." Elise cocked her head. "As in, cutting people open and dancing around in it."

"...Oh."

"Yeah." Leo sat back and took a long sip. "How's Laslow been hanging in there?"

"Oh, come on! I'm not that bad."

"His shoes are falling apart at the toes because of your clumsy steps."

Elise sighed. "Aright, I know. I'll leave him alone for the rest of the night." Across the floor, she caught sight of Camilla dancing with a handsome noble. Her big sister led the boy through the steps with mesmerizing fluidity. Lightly but firmly, with incredible subtlety, she guided his hand to spin her. When she reached arm's length, she separated from him just long enough to perform an extra, quick pair of spins outside his limiting grasp. Her dress flowed like the wind, showing off her long, smooth legs, and settled gently back into place when she returned to the boy's arms.

"Do your retainers dance?" Leo inquired.

"Huh? Oh, no," Elise said hurriedly, jolted from her trance. "Arthur and Effie aren't really the ballroom type."

Leo followed her gaze. He turned back to find her closely eyeing the tablecloth. He smiled. "Jealous, are you?"

She reddened. "No."

"Well that's surprising," he replied with a smirk. "Camilla's an enviable dancer." He let silence hang between them for a moment.

"Okay, I'm a little jealous," Elise admitted. "She's just so good, you know? Kinda makes me look even worse."

"Ah, forget about it," Leo advised. "You're adorable, Elise. Nobody cares how good you are on the dance floor."

She grinned. "Aw, thanks, Leo." She watched him finish off his drink. "So, do your retainers dance?"

"Nope," he said plainly. "Well, Niles doesn't, anyway. Odin can, and isn't half bad at it, but he typically disappears early in the night."

"Where to?"

"Not so much a 'where' as a 'with whom,' that 'whom' being Camilla's redhead retainer, Selena."

"Ooh! You think so?"

He nodded. "Yeah. At the last couple of these parties I kept an eye on one or the other of them, and they seemed to leave about the same time and not come back. They always pair up on the dance floor at some point, too, and I think the pairing up with strangers in-between is just them trying to keep it a secret."

"Why hide it?" Elise asked.

"Probably so you don't bug them about it."

"Rude."

Leo chuckled. His eyes widened as he glanced past his sister. "Ah, shit. Peri's coming back." He pushed his chair back and stood. "Tell her I'm in the men's room." He stopped. "And, uh, remind her that she can't _enter_ the men's room."

"You got it," Elise assured him.

()

The party was clearly coming to a close around one o' clock in the morning. The nobles in attendance were losing their buzz, and those who had come primarily as suitors to the eldest Prince and Princess had realized that neither would be inviting anybody to stay the night. Corrin had been relieved to find Camilla enjoying herself on the dance floor, but still felt a little guilty about abandoning her so suddenly. He chatted awhile with Elise, who had only managed to keep Peri still for a few minutes before the unsettlingly hyper cavalier took off. Not long after he sat down, a soldier approached him and relayed that Garon wanted Leo present.

When Garon saw Corrin and his brother return to the hall a couple of minutes later, he signaled to a guard to announce that the King was about to speak. "Honored guests," he began. "I thank you for attending my son Corrin's welcome to his permanent home in Castle Krakenburg." He waited while the nobles and servants applauded. An empty gesture, he knew, but a necessary one. "Corrin has already shown great promise, both in his studies and his actions, as a Nohrian diplomat and military field commander to rival his brothers. I trust he will continue to impress me in the future." He smiled with uncharacteristic warmth in Corrin's direction.

Corrin smiled proudly back, but something felt off. The way his father had said "I trust" implied that Corrin was obligated to back up his beliefs. It almost felt like a threat, but Corrin quickly perished the thought, deciding that it was simply the King's gruff mannerisms that called for such phrasing.

"Now," Garon continued, a grim expression coming over him. "I know many of you are wondering about the recent security concerns regarding the escaped Hoshidan prisoners. Rest assured, it was by a stroke of disgusting luck that the escape was successful, and what insubstantial holes did exist in our protocols have been rectified." He paused again. Of course, nobody dared to question him. "I hope the accommodations were to your liking, and I bid you all goodnight, friends."

With little hesitation, the guests began meandering toward the main doors. The royals' retainers, all of whom were now present, remained in the hall and conversed. Garon beckoned his children to his side.

"Did any suitor catch your interest?" he asked Xander and Camilla.

"No, Father," Xander said plainly.

"Afraid not," Camilla answered. "Most of them were sweet, but not really my type."

The King sighed. "That is unfortunate." He turned to the younger ones. "Did you enjoy yourselves?"

Elise nodded. "Yep! It was fun."

Leo shrugged. "I'd like Xander to control his own retainers next time."

Xander cringed, prompting laughter from the girls. "Peri ended up clinging to you, Brother? I'm sorry about that."

"Rather tightly," Camilla added, causing Leo to blush.

Corrin managed a passable smile. "It was okay, Father. I just need to get used to this kind of thing."

"You're not gonna be sick for your big mission, are ya?" Elise teased.

He chuckled. "No, I'm fine. Besides, the trip there will give me at least a week's rest."

Garon nodded. "Good. I want you to get a feel for conducting your soldiers in the field before I assign you to any combat."

Camilla frowned. "About that...Father, could I please accompany him, just to the Canyon? It'll be a dreadfully boring couple of weeks without any of his siblings."

"Me too!" Elise chimed in. "Can we please travel with him, Daddy?"

Garon shook his head. "Elise, you are to refer to me as 'Father,' at least if you're going to speak so loudly. As for the request—"

"If I may, Father," Xander interjected, "I think it would be good for us to go with him. Otherwise, he'd likely spend most of his time just sitting alone in the carriage, while we spend our time here worrying about him. There doesn't seem to be much to gain by having him travel alone."

Garon pondered the idea. "Would you prefer to have your siblings join you, Corrin?" he asked.

"Yeah. I would, Father," Corrin said. He addressed his siblings. "But guys, you're acting like I'd be making some kind of pilgrimage. I'll have Gunter and Felicia with me, in any case, and I'll probably bring along a book and some playing cards. You don't need to come just because you're worried."

"We know that, Big Brother!" Elise assured him. "We just want to spend as much time with you as we can! Right, everyone?"

"I'll admit to that," Camilla declared.

"I won't, but that doesn't mean it isn't true," Leo added.

Xander slapped Corrin on the back. "Consider it making up for lost time, Little Prince."

"Very well, then," Garon said with a straight face. "You can all ride with Corrin to the Bottomless Canyon. Xander, you'll oversee the arrangement of defense of the convoy. And remember that you are not to interfere with the mission. Understood?"

A chorus of "Yes, Father" sounded from the delighted princes and princesses of Nohr.

()

 _Three days later_

Kamui stood in Castle Shirasagi's garden with Sakura, Ryoma, Takumi, and their mother, waiting under a warm sunset for Hinoka to return. Her older sister had left two days prior to meet a messenger from the west, and was scheduled to arrive back at the castle in just half an hour. She would know what had become of the Hoshidans who escaped Windmire, and would finally put to rest the rumors that circulated among those gullible enough to believe them, peasants and aristocrats alike. Princess Rinkah of the Flame Tribe was dead, or sometimes she wasn't; sometimes nobody had died, and sometimes everyone had died, which was the only rumor that Hoshidan intelligence could wholly deny.

"Kamui," Queen Mikoto said softly.

The princess took a deep breath. "Yes, Mother?"

"I'm sorry that I couldn't see what you wanted me to."

"It's silly to apologize, Mother. I know you can't control your premonitions." She smiled, though the effort required to do so was not missed by the Queen. "Anyway, I'm sure the plan worked. Like I said, they probably went to Cyrkensia and couldn't send a quicker message."

Mikoto contemplated her next question. "I think you're right," she replied. "But are you..." She swallowed, as though the words pained her. "Are you prepared to be wrong? Would you be okay?"

The distant figure of Hinoka's falicorn appeared over the castle wall. "There she is," Kamui announced, pointing. "Yes, Mother, I can handle it. But I'm not wrong, I know it."

The others were silent, though Sakura kept wiping with her sleeves at her teary eyes. Kamui figured that the whole ordeal must have been even tougher on her soft-spoken little sister, whose retainer and best friend, Hana, had been selected by Kamui to lead the unauthorized rescue mission on short notice. If Hana didn't make it back... But that was impossible. If only one person besides the riders survived her plan, Kamui was sure it would be the strong-willed samurai. Her own anxiety concerned the fate of the freed prisoners.

Hinoka hopped off her falicorn when it made a leisurely pass through the garden. The winged white horse was corralled toward the stables by two attendants with their own airborne mounts. The eldest Hoshidan princess put on the biggest grin she could for her sisters. "The mission was a success!" she declared. "The team rescued Kaze and Princess Rinkah, and they'll all be home in just a couple of days." The news prompted smiles from her entire family, though Sakura continued to shed what were now tears of joy. "They will need to rest awhile longer after what they've been through, but they'll make it." She walked over to Kamui and embraced her. "By the gods, your plan worked, Sister."

"Alright, Kamui!" Takumi exclaimed. "I can't believe that—" Ryoma tapped his shoulder to stop him. Kamui was breaking down in tears, evidently overwhelmed with relief. "Oh. Gotcha," Takumi whispered.

"Just give her a hug when you get the chance," the Crown Prince instructed. He sighed contently, his own fears fading away with a shiver. "That's all she needs right now."

Kamui felt her mother's hand on her back as she sobbed into Hinoka's shoulder. She was at a complete loss as to how to react, her elation was so great. Her plan had worked! Every soldier she'd sent to Windmire was alive! Rinkah was alive! And by the gods, Kaze was alive!

She made no effort to compose herself. She had all day tomorrow for that. For now, she simply accepted her siblings' warm hugs and gentle praises. Ryoma had nothing to say about her "rashness" and "disobedience," nor Takumi about her "lunacy;" those phrases had been run ragged when they discovered the operation while the would-be rescuers were still heading west. Instead, they simply celebrated the fact that because of her, two of the most important people in Hoshido—and two dear friends—were coming home.


	8. Blood and Thunder

_September, 2013 AD_

King Garon slouched in his throne. In just a few hours, he would bid farewell to his children as they began their journey to the Bottomless Canyon, the formation that marked Nohr's shared border with Hoshido. The mission he'd given Corrin was a simple, low-risk operation, but his true intention was a task far more grim and perilous. He'd begun preparing for this day almost a decade before, and had already done all that was needed to inflict a great wound upon the enemies of Nohr. A few loose ends were going to be left, but Garon was certain that fate would still line up with his ambition in the end.

His mind presently wrestled with a different conflict: whether to go through with the plan at all. The sacrifice involved was great, and he could not know how it would affect his heirs. He debated internally whether they would be able to cope. Perhaps they would be reinvigorated? Or, perhaps traumatized? Nevertheless, he shook the doubt from his mind. Everything he ever wanted was within his grasp. He would be the savior of his people, the emperor of all the known world. A god among men! He would not allow misplaced sentiment to misguide his actions.

When the time came, the princes and princesses of Nohr embarked as intended, on an eastward course to their destinies.

()

 _October, 2013 AD_

Leaning back against his pillow, Kaze watched the door to his bedroom in Castle Shirasagi open slowly, the dark wood followed closely by a girl with long red hair. The ninja had been reading _Tales of a Bloodthirsty Pegasus Knight, Volume Three_ by the last shred of daylight streaming in through the windows that occupied much of the walls, and minutes ago had lit a few candles. He smiled and set aside the tedious novel, not bothering to mark his page. "Good afternoon, Lady Kamui," he said.

Kamui grinned back. "Hello, Kaze." She almost gasped the words, as if struggling to believe that he was truly sitting in front of her. "Um...welcome home," she added, approaching his bedside.

"Hana tells me you saved my life," he told her nonchalantly.

The candles' light danced gently across the princess' face, illuminating her blush and making her brown eyes appear to sparkle. "Well, I'm not the one who carried you out of Krakenburg."

"You would've if you could have," he insisted. "You know Hana's not one to downplay herself."

"This might be an exception. She, and every soldier that went to Windmire, didn't have a single word of protest when I called on them."

Kaze playfully groaned. "Thank you, Kamui, for saving my life. And please, milady, don't try to say that you didn't."

The princess folded her arms in mock annoyance, but her lips curved into an amused grin. "You're welcome," she said.

The ninja chuckled. "Was that so difficult?"

Kaze and Kamui had been friends since they were children, though because Kaze was six years her senior, she had always looked up to him as a second older brother. As Kamui's retainer, he could often be found in the company of the Hoshidan royal family, and he frequently shared meals, training sessions, and even vacations with the princes and princesses while he was staying at the palace. For four months out of the year, he served as captain of the Bottomless Canyon border guard, rotating out with his brother Saizo and another ninja named Omozu.

"Ugh, I can barely speak," Kamui groaned, though her smile remained. "I can't tell you how glad I am that you and Rinkah made it out!" She noticed an uncomfortable tick wash over Kaze, which he hid immediately. "Um, is something..." She stopped herself. "Oh."

"Yeah," he mumbled, quickly straightening against the backboard. "Please, milady, don't blame yourself. There wasn't anything else you could have done."

"I know." The princess' heart stung as she thought of the men she couldn't save. Shortly after Hinoka informed her that Kaze and Rinkah were safe, the older princess had reported the confirmed deaths of every other Hoshidan in Windmire. One onmyoji, two samurai, and two Oni warriors had given their lives so that their comrades could escape. Their families would need to be notified, and they would certainly be given heroes' funerals for their daring sacrifice. Though she knew she wasn't responsible for their deaths, part of Kamui felt as though she'd lost soldiers on the battlefield for the first time.

"Has Rinkah made a formal report to Her Majesty?" Kaze asked.

Kamui blinked away her thoughts. "Yes, but Mother wants to hear from you as well, once Ryoma and Hinoka return from the border."

Kaze raised an eyebrow. "They left Shirasagi? For what purpose?"

"Saizo will be relieving Omozu at the border," Kamui replied. "They're bringing a larger force than usual, and my siblings want to scout a short way along the Nohrian side to confirm that Garon isn't building a military presence."

"I see." Neither of them dared to speak further on the matter of war. The inevitable conflict between the great kingdoms hung heavy in everyone's mind, and there was no reason to worsen the burden with speculation.

"Well, that's all I came to tell you," Kamui said. "If you've nothing else to say, I suppose I'll leave you to yourself."

"Goodnight, Lady Kamui," he said warmly.

She hesitated for a brief moment, then walked to his bedside and leaned in to hug him. He was somewhat surprised by the gesture, but nevertheless returned it for a few seconds until she released him. "Goodnight, Kaze," she whispered. "And, uh, I hope I didn't startle you just then."

He chuckled. "Not at all, milady." She smiled and turned to leave. "Oh, wait!" he called.

"What is it?"

"When Rinkah gave her report, did she mention our battle before we escaped?"

Kamui stiffened. "Yes. She...she told us about him. Corrin."

"How did Her Majesty react?"

"Like she always does," Kamui answered. "Mother grit her teeth and held her composure. She told us not to blame him for his actions. That it's still our responsibility to rescue him."

Kaze leaned forward. "And how did _you_ react?"

She sighed. "I still want to bring him home. But honestly...I don't know if Hoshido could ever be his home."

"I understand, milady." Kaze relaxed. A moment of silence passed between them. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Kaze," Kamui said again as she stepped out of the room and gently shut the door behind her.

()

"Gods," Corrin gaped at the sight spread out before him. Meters away, the grey, rocky ground fell away sharply, disappearing into the abyss far below. Some rather sketchy-looking rope bridges spanned the Canyon at different points, connecting the Nohrian and Hoshidan sides to small stone plateaus that reached out like fingers from the darkness. By traversing these bridges, one could (eventually) cross the colossal, foreboding crevice and reach the other kingdom.

"Rather imposing, isn't it, milord?" Gunter asked. He spoke loudly into the fierce winds. Overhead, dark clouds were whipping up a ferocious storm.

"I'm having a hard time believing it's there at all," Corrin admitted. "And it's right in front of me! It's just...too massive to be real."

"Books don't do it justice, eh, milord!" Hans guffawed.

"Er, yeah," the prince responded uneasily. Xander's words in Krakenburg's throne room still echoed in his mind. _'A murderer and a scoundrel.'_ Corrin wished he didn't need to walk in front of his attendants, but reminded himself that he'd asked Gunter to keep an eye out for any suspicious movements from the burly berserker. "Gods, it can't really be bottomless, can it?"

"Let the eternal darkness below be your answer," Gunter replied darkly. "Those who fall are never returned to the light." He glanced about the canyon warily. "I truly despise this place. It just...isn't right. The sky is always dark and foreboding, and lightning often strikes those who dare to fly across. This is clearly a place mortals were never meant to enter."

"Ah, relax, old man!" Hans' reassurance came off more as goading, which Corrin figured was probably his intention. "It's just a hole."

"It's not so bad, Sir Gunter," Corrin added. "Or perhaps I'm just happy to be outside in the fresh air. Compared to the Northern Fortress, this is downright exciting!"

Gunter chuckled. "That certainly puts thing into perspective, milord. Please, lead on."

Mere moments later, Corrin reached the edge of the chasm. "There's the fort," he announced. "On the other side there."

The structure, which sat precariously near the cliff, was clearly Hoshidan in design. Its first floor, constructed of grey stone and black roofing, was similar in appearance to Nohrian buildings of the same sort. Its second floor, however, was smaller than the first, and looked as though it had been rotated forty-five degrees so that each corner fell in the middle of a first floor wall. The third floor was smaller still and had a rectangular shape, evidently made to house an office of some sort. The roof of the top floor sloped upward sharply, as was conventional in Hoshidan architecture.

The most striking aspect of the fort, however, was the presence of Hoshidan soldiers in and around it.

"Damn," Corrin muttered. "Guess it isn't abandoned, then."

"What?" Felicia panted. Corrin turned his head to see her with her hands on her knees and a small tear in the side of her skirt. "Sorry, milord. I got stuck on a rock."

"That's...fine, whatever." Corrin grabbed her hand. "Have a look. Sir Gunter, what do you recommend?"

"It's your call, milord," the knight replied.

Felicia gasped. "Milord, we've got trouble!" she exclaimed. A squadron of four sky knights had taken to the air from the fort and were making their way toward the Nohrians.

"Keep your weapons down," Corrin commanded. "We're still on our side of the border, so they won't attack us."

Gunter nodded. "I think that's wise, milord."

A couple of minutes later, one of the Hoshidans set her pegasus down in front of Corrin, naginata in hand. "What is your business here, Nohrians?" she demanded.

"I'd ask you the same," he responded, trying to stay calm. "You're on Nohrian soil."

"Patrolling the border," she said plainly.

"Might I ask why that entails approaching us with weapons drawn?"

"Security's tight today. Now answer my query."

Corrin didn't get a chance to comply before Hans darted forward, drawing his axe and burying it in one of the pegasus' front legs. The beast cried out, rearing up and falling over due to its compromised balance. Its rider tumbled onto the ground, scrambling to her feet only to be hit in the neck by the Nohrian's blade.

"Hans, STOP!" Corrin bellowed, grabbing the man's shoulder, where he stayed only a moment before being roughly shaken off. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Hans roughly pulled his axe out of the Hoshidan. She clutched at her neck and fell backwards, sputtering and coughing up blood as her toppled mount flailed futilely. The other sky knights were preparing an attack formation, and the soldiers across the canyon were drawing their weapons and advancing.

"Damn you, savage!" Gunter shouted at the berserker. "Milord, we have no choice but to fight! Those knights are going to try to force us into the samurai on the bridge. If we let ourselves become overwhelmed, we will not escape!"

Corrin grimaced. "Dammit, Hans! Why..." He cut himself off when he noticed that Hans had already stepped onto the bridge and was running toward the samurai. "Agh! Felicia, try to hit one of the knights with a couple knives! Gunter, keep her covered!"

"Are you sure, milord?" Felicia asked urgently, knife in hand.

"Yes, dammit! Yes!"

With her orders clear, she took aim at the nearest sky knight and prepared to throw. As she swung her arm, she noticed a slight movement by the rider that indicated a dive. Almost instantaneously correcting for this, she flung the knife a bit lower. Her projectile hit the pegasus in the neck as it dove, and its rider struggled to keep her mount under control. The other two charged simultaneously, the blades of their naginatas aimed directly at her. Gunter managed to deflect one with his lance, and Felicia was able to narrowly roll out of the other's reach. The pair moved to follow Corrin, who was cautiously edging onto the bridge in an effort to reach Hans. Rogue or not, the dastard would be an invaluable ally in this fight, and he was presently struggling against two samurai with a third on the way.

Corrin forced himself to keep his eyes from straying to the dying Hoshidan soldier on the ground, spasming and choking on her own blood. She was the first casualty he had ever witnessed, and even worse, her death was completely unnecessary. The sight of her alongside her helpless, panicking, screaming pegasus was too much to bear. He was extremely nauseous and felt that he might faint if he didn't focus on the battle at hand.

()

Across the canyon, a samurai approached the captain of the border guard, a ninja named Omozu. "Sir, how long until Lord Ryoma arrives?"

"Mere minutes," Omozu responded. "Pass this order to the front: lead the Nohrians to the secondary bunker. They won't be able to penetrate that position, and with the threat of the archers, we can get them to surrender."

"Yes sir!" the soldier affirmed, running north toward the bunker and disappearing into a small wood consisting of twisted dead trees.

()

"What took ya?" Hans inquired with a grin as Corrin approached and engaged one of the samurai.

Corrin didn't bother answering, opting instead to stare down the man he'd locked blades with. Ganglari scraped along the comparatively measly iron katana, leaving severe scratches and radiating a bizarre dark energy. The samurai let his sword slip off of Corrin's and slid to the left, attempting to stab his opponent, but Corrin managed to deflect the blow and forced him to back up. They clashed blades repeatedly, each trying to get a feel for the other's fighting style. The speed with which Corrin was able to swing his heavy weapon baffled the samurai, and the prince knew that he'd need to inflict some damage before that surprise wore off completely.

The third samurai had arrived, and Hans was once again holding back two warriors. Felicia chanced taking her eyes off the sky knights for a moment and saw that neither samurai was paying any mind to her. "Gunter, watch my back!" she told her comrade. She brought up a knife, letting it fly as the shadow of a pegasus and the frustrated cry of its rider came over her. Gunter had once again managed to protect her from the point of a naginata.

The knife dug itself into the sword arm of an unsuspecting samurai. He cried out and involuntarily lowered his guard, realizing quickly that he needed to keep his arm up. Before he could, Hans knocked away the other Hoshidan's sword with a powerful swing and, with a euphoric shout of, "Die, scumbags!" shoved the injured man with his shoulder. The soldier let his wounded arm go limp, his katana falling from his grasp, and tried to grab one of the ropes suspending the bridge. His fingers brushed against the fibers, and he fell backwards into the canyon, shrieking until his head struck a stone pillar and splattered its black surface with red. His body disappeared into the endless abyss, but by this point, nobody could afford to watch.

Mere meters away, Corrin pressed the attack on his own opponent. He knocked the samurai's blade away again and again, inching closer with each swing. With the looming threat of the sky knights, Corrin decided that he didn't want to stay a standing target any longer and made the risky decision to tackle his enemy. The Hoshidan almost managed to bring his katana around and impale the Nohrian prince, but the distance between them was just little enough that his blade missed its mark. Once Corrin had the man on the ground, he hit him with Ganglari's hilt. Afterwards, he hesitated, staring at the man's bleeding nose and wild eyes.

 _'You strike timidly.'_ Xander's words echoed in his mind. ' _If you have an opening, do not relent.'_

Corrin hit his enemy again, smashing his nose. He was struggling, grabbing at Corrin, eyes shut tight against the pain. Corrin didn't have enough room to maneuver Ganglari, making it impossible to execute the samurai with it. But if he let up, even for a moment, his retainers might pay for his inaction. The man might throw him off, or roll them both off of the bridge. Gunter and Felicia would have no chance, if they even lived that long.

The samurai was sweating and crying, enraged and dazed...and terrified.

 _'You must genuinely try to kill me!'_

Corrin hit him again, and again, and again, futilely trying to focus on his grip on Ganglari, or the sounds of battle behind him, or the sweat dripping from his brow—anything to escape the abhorrent reality of his own actions, but it was hopeless. He felt every desperate jerk of the man's body, heard every snapped bone and stomach-churning squelch, saw every drop of blood that was flung from the broken and bloody face of his victim. The Hoshidan was completely unrecognizable, and his gasping breaths were replaced with sickening gargling sounds, yet Corrin continued to pulverize him with ever-clumsier strikes.

When at long last his victim went limp, Corrin finally relented. He tore his eyes away from the gory mess, hurriedly rolled off of the corpse, and vomited onto the boards of the bridge.

Behind him, one of sky knights dove directly at Felicia, keeping Gunter at bay with her naginata. Her pegasus was struck and impaled by a knife, but was low enough to kick Felicia in the head with a flailing hoof. The maid fell splayed out on the ground, clutching her wound.

"Felicia!" Gunter called, racing his horse to her side. "Can you walk?"

"Ow...owww!" she cried in a daze.

"Dammit," the knight swore, dropping from his mount to scoop the maid up in his arms. "Milord, we need to keep moving!" he yelled to Corrin, who was still retching. "Get up, Corrin!"

It took more willpower than the young prince knew he had just to force back the bile still in his throat, but he managed to push off the ground and take off at a run. A naginata flashed behind him as a sky knight made a pass, but she failed to adjust for his sudden movement and missed by over a meter. After hearing his assailant fly past, he stopped and whirled around to survey the situation.

Hans had endured several cuts on each arm and was clearly slowing down, wincing with each deflected blow, while his opponent appeared to be in a frenzy. Blood stained Felicia's pink hair where she'd been hit, and Gunter was struggling to keep his lance up with one arm while supporting her with the other. Despite the injuries suffered by the pegasi, their riders were still flying steady, and the Nohrians were still effectively outnumbered.

Corrin sprinted to Hans' side, hoping that his retainers would be alright in the meantime. The samurai received him with a series of quick, aggressive stabs and slices, looking for an opening to fell his new adversary before he was overwhelmed. With some difficulty, Corrin blocked each hit with Ganglari's broad blade and forced the Hoshidan backwards to the edge of the bridge. Hans smirked and prepared to match Corrin's next attack with his own.

When the axe came down and the black sword stabbed up at him, the samurai jumped backward off the bridge, grabbing the rope with one hand and taking a last desperate swing at the berserker's head. Hans was caught off guard and raised his axe a moment too late, but just as he realized this, Ganglari appeared in his vision and collided with the katana, which missed Hans by centimeters. Thrown off balance, the samurai swung out over the Bottomless Canyon. He didn't turn his head in time to see the axe come down on his wrist, partially severing his hand and eliminating his grip on the rope. He followed his comrade in a similar fashion, screaming in pain and terror until he vanished in the darkness.

Hans chuckled. "You look pale, milord."

"Fuck you," Corrin muttered. He wiped his eyes and found that his gloved hand came away with both blood and tears. He cursed his own frailty. There was no point in concerning himself with sentiment until his soldiers were safe. Though it agonized him, that meant keeping Hans alive as well.

He sprinted back to Gunter, who was clearly fatigued after deflecting so many passes by the sky knights with a single hand. "Is Felicia alright?" Corrin demanded.

"Alive, at least," the knight replied. "Next time one of those riders makes a pass, help me get her onto my horse." He readied his lance, letting Corrin take Felicia so he could hold it with both hands.

Two of the pegasi swooped down from either side of the bridge, and he slapped his horse to make it move out of his way. He ran toward one approaching Hoshidan and knocked her weapon into the path of the other, forcing the second to change course. Satisfied, he ran to his horse and dragged the beast back to his companions.

"Woah," Corrin uttered as they hoisted Felicia onto the horse's back. "That was impressive."

"I've learned a few tricks in my time," Gunter said. "Now climb on with me, and hold on tight to both of us. We need to get off this bridge!"

Corrin complied after a moment's pause. "What's wrong now?"

"Their comrades are dead, so nothing's stopping them from cutting the bridge down! Hyah!" The knight set his horse off at a gallop, heading eastward toward a thin plateau about two-thirds of the way across the canyon. Hans was already there, peeking around a dead tree. He ducked behind it as a barrage of arrows pierced the air where he'd just been.

"Snipers," he spat when the others drew close. "In that fort across the canyon. Keep moving, or they're sure to hit someone!"

Gunter nodded, spurring his horse on and guiding it south, down the length of the plateau. "Head down, milord!" he called. He could barely see the archers from his mount, but the arrows he spotted arcing through the sky were more-or-less on target, and several samurai were approaching over a thin bridge that extended from the cliffside bunker. With the sky knights as persistent as ever, he knew he wouldn't be able to keep up his defense for long.

"They've cut the bridge," Corrin lamented. The ropes on the Nohrian side had been cut, and the boards fell away into the darkness. "There's another bridge back to our side at the south end of this plateau, up ahead, but it doesn't look trustworthy."

Gunter turned his horse around and spurred it on again, trying to make them a tougher target for the snipers. The arrows took a few seconds to reach them anyway, but seven or eight seemed to fly with each volley, and the projectiles would be far more threatening when they were engaged by the samurai and sky knights. "Indeed, milord. It may be unwise to draw attention to that bridge, lest the Hoshidans destroy it."

Corrin frantically scanned their surroundings, looking for a way out. Charging the bunker was completely out of the question, as was retreating across the second bridge. There didn't seem to be any other bridges in the area, however. Not a single other means of advancing or escaping. The sky knights were quickly approaching from behind, another volley of arrows landed scattered about the plateau, and the samurai were halfway to Hans' position. They were completely out of options.

"Felicia, are you awake?" he asked loudly, lightly rubbing the side of her head that wasn't bleeding.

"Y-yes, mil..." she mumbled, wincing with the effort.

Well, at least there was a chance she'd be back on her feet before they were all killed. Corrin swore under his breath, cursing the gods for sticking him with Hans.

"The gods!" he exclaimed.

Gunter turned his head. "Milord?"

"Take me back to the southern side of the plateau! I...I think I can feel a Dragon Vein!"

"Yes, milord!" the old knight affirmed. His confidence wasn't exactly restored, but he at least had an objective now. "Hans! Watch the skies and follow us!"

"Sure thing!" Hans agreed, sprinting out from behind his tree. "I was starting to get bored!"

"Just run!" Corrin commanded. "The sky knights are moving to circle us!" He turned to Gunter. "I'm going to hop off on the count of three. When I do, turn around, sticking to the eastern edge." He leaned down next to Felicia's ear and shook her lightly. "Felicia, I need you to throw some daggers at the sky knights. You don't need to be accurate. Just keep their attention off the southern bridge. Okay?" She mumbled a reply, which would have to be good enough. "Alright, Gunter. One...two...three!"

He pushed to the right off of the horse, rolling when he hit the ground. Gunter wheeled around to the left, leaving Hans to try and catch his breath. "The hell do I do?" the berserker asked.

"Cover me," Corrin replied. "I think I know what I can do."

"Think you know? Lucky us."

Corrin ignored him and stood, legs spread slightly, facing the main Hoshidan fort on the eastern side of the Bottomless Canyon. He thought he could see their leader from here, a ninja, overseeing the impromptu battle from in front of the structure. Taking a deep breath, he raised Ganglari upside-down over the dirt and stone of the plateau. Its obsidian blade shimmered as the prince of Nohr plunged it into the ground. With all of his strength, both physical and mental, Corrin willed the very earth to shift.

The earthquake caught Hans, Gunter's horse, and all of the Hoshidan infantry completely off-guard. It started from nothing, and the sound of rock scraping against rock was deafening throughout the battlefield. An archer standing near the Hoshidan leader stumbled and fell toward the edge, losing his yumi into the abyss. The man's face drained of color, and he scrambled pathetically away from the blackness that had nearly consumed him. His fellowmen only vaguely noticed him, however, captivated as they were by the awesome power Corrin had awakened within the earth.

A meter and a half below the prince, the plateau's walls slid out toward the Hoshidans' fortress. Impossibly, the ground on which Corrin stood was shifting to create a new path for him and his allies. With a crash and an additional, equally loud grinding sound, the new structure collided with the eastern wall of the canyon, buried itself in the stone, and stopped.

"Well, shit!" Hans marveled. "That's a nifty trick!"

The prince barely heard the remark, and certainly couldn't form a coherent reply. He freed Ganglari from the ground with a light tug and doubled over, gasping for breath. He had felt a surge of power when he tapped into the Dragon Vein, as he had with the Veins in the Northern Fortress and Castle Krakenburg, but channeling it into the new bridge had still required an incredible amount of effort on his part. His focus leaving him, he watched Hans drop onto the walkway and make a break for the other side.

"Go, milord!" Gunter's voice snapped the prince out of his haze, though it didn't do as much for his aching lungs and throbbing headache. He did, however, manage to slide off the plateau and onto the stone bridge, followed immediately by his retainers on horseback. The animal neighed in protest as it hit the ground, but Gunter managed to reign his mount in and get it to stand still. "Get on, Corrin! Quickly!"

Gripping his sword as tightly as he could in his right hand, Corrin pulled himself up with his left. Gunter spurred the horse onward before he could get his leg across, startling him such that he nearly slipped, but he managed to hold on until inertia let go of him and he climbed the rest of the way onto the horse. He watched Hans run ahead of them, axe held in front of his face to deflect any arrows or shuriken the Hoshidans might throw their way. With a start, he remembered the sky knights, and turned to see the trio far closer than he felt comfortable with. They had flown high into the air, near the storm clouds, and crossed over the plateau in a high-speed dive. In mere moments, the Nohrians would be overtaken.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning appeared in the clouds above them, hanging in the air for a moment before arcing downward and striking one of the riders. The soldier wailed as she was fried in her armor, her mount shrieking just as awfully, before the pair went silent and plunged into the Bottomless Canyon. The others broke their formation and entered steeper dives off to the left and right, distancing themselves from the clouds and circling back around.

Corrin was thoroughly baffled at the turn of events until he saw a dark shape in the air, farther behind the sky knights. His eyes widened, recognizing the black wyvern in malig armor and inferring that its rider must be Camilla, thunder tome in hand. "Thank the gods!" he cried. "Gunter, Camilla's here and she's engaged the sky knights!"

"Then we may yet win this battle!" the knight answered confidently, a grin spreading across his face. "Hyah!"

Their horse vaulted past Hans, over the knee-high wall, and onto the Hoshidan side of the canyon, right in front of the fortress. The archer who had lost his weapon was now standing by the entrance, nocking an arrow in a new yumi he'd grabbed inside. Beside him, the ninja prepared to throw a kunai.

"Felicia, do you have knives?" Corrin demanded.

"Yeah," she replied, still shaky but regaining her focus somewhat.

"Throw them at those Hoshidans! Now!"

"Heads down!" Gunter yelled, yanking the reigns to the right and causing his horse to quickly change direction as the two nearby enemies let their projectiles fly. The kunai missed its mark, and the arrow bounced off the animal's armor. "Now's the time, Felicia!"

"Okay!" she said, with less conviction than she'd intended. She reached under her skirt for a knife and held it up by her face, imbuing the blade with a basic frost spell for a little extra damage. She took aim at the ninja and let it fly. He couldn't see her well, sandwiched as she was between the knight and the prince, but he saw the knife as she let it go and dove out of the way with no time to spare. "Dammit," she muttered, grabbing another.

"Wait!" Corrin ordered, thinking on his feet. "Just hold it. If either of them makes a move, then throw it at him. Hmm... And if you're too late, try to hit the other one." He figured that Hans would be able to handle one projectile at a time well enough, and they'd need the berserker's help to seize the fortress. They would also need to hurry, he realized, because more soldiers were leaving the bunker to the north and running toward them. "Gunter, keep to the east. Once Hans is close, we'll charge them."

Felicia let out a gasp, quickly aiming and throwing her knife. The archer, who had taken aim at them, let his arrow fly haphazardly off to the side and leaped back to avoid the blade. The ninja threw another kunai, this time aimed directly at Felicia, but Corrin was able to block it with Ganglari's broad side. The maid nodded her thanks and reached for another weapon.

"Two knives left, milord," she warned.

"That's fine. Hans will make it. Hang onto that last one for when we charge."

Hans was nearly at the door now, too close to retreat behind the corner of the building. Both the archer and the ninja prepared to send projectiles his way, so he crouched low and held his axe in front of his head and upper torso. He cried out and stopped when an arrow buried itself in the right side of his bare midsection, but immediately forced himself to keep moving forward. The ninja had been interrupted by a knife from Felicia, which had cut a sizable gash in his left arm, but he was still able to throw a shuriken with the right. The missile came fast, but Hans lowered his axe a few centimeters and knocked it away. He was almost close enough to take a swing. _'Fuck the arrow,'_ he thought. _'My axe'll make a bigger hole in him!'_ Ignoring the brutal, searing pain in his side, he sprinted toward the archer.

"He's there!" Corrin shouted. "Go, Gunter! Felicia, hit the archer!"

"Hyah!" Gunter grunted, spurring his horse one final time.

Felicia struggled to aim while at a full gallop, Gunter blocking her view and Corrin bumping into her back each time their mount hit the ground. She decided to throw at the height of their bound, and raised her arm to do so. She leaned to her right and flung the knife as hard as she could, watching as the archer took it in the leg and lost control of the arrow he was furiously nocking.

Hans dove forward onto the ground, keeping his axe over his head. A shuriken scraped along its surface—a debilitating strike successfully avoided. Laughing almost maniacally, Hans clambered to his feet and rushed at the archer.

Gunter, meanwhile, aimed his lance square at the ninja's chest. Just before they reached the man, Corrin hopped off the horse once more, stumbling in his roll and sprawling across the ground for a split second before scrambling forward.

As expected, the Hoshidan cleanly dodged Gunter's lance. As the horse raced past, he took a kunai in one hand, a shuriken in the other, and ran at Corrin. He opened with a jumping strike, which the Nohrian easily deflected with his massive black sword. Corrin retaliated with a series of stabs and close slashes, trying to capitalize on his opponent's lack of defensive equipment. The ninja danced around his blade, occasionally lashing out with the kunai but unable to make his swipes connect. With no warning, he whipped his shuriken wildly at Corrin, who raised his left arm to block the projectile. It hit his armor sideways and fell to the ground, but the ninja was able to advance and try to stab Corrin under the right shoulder with his kunai. Corrin brought his hand down and managed to slap his enemy's blade away just as it made contact with the small patch of fabric. As he did so, he discovered that Ganglari was now directly above the Hoshidan's head, and tried to bring it down on his skull. His opponent made to roll left, but the blade caught him on the edge of the shoulder and he fell to the ground. In a moment, Corrin was on top of him with a blade to his neck.

The man spat in Corrin's face, but missed his eye. With a guttural sound resembling a growl, he let himself go limp in the dirt. "Nohrian scum!" he said quietly, feeling his throat strain and bleed against the obsidian sword. "What do you have to gain here? Why slaughter my soldiers?!"

"Lord Corrin!" Gunter called from behind them. "We must go, milord! Now!"

Corrin stared at the ninja he'd defeated. "What is your name?" he asked, breathing heavily and dripping sweat.

Omozu hadn't expected to hear such a question, and thought his response over for a moment. "Fuck off."

Corrin flinched slightly away, but kept the man carefully pinned down. He didn't have time for an explanation, or a speech. Instead, he simply whispered, "I'm sorry." Then he dug his blade into his victim's throat and drew it across, leaving a fatal wound.

Not wanting to watch him bleed, Corrin quickly turned his head and sprung to his feet, running back toward the stone bridge. The Hoshidan archer hadn't put up much of a fight, and his corpse lay against the side of the fortress. Gunter, Felicia, and Hans were already on their way back to the chasm. Behind them, on the plateau, Camilla's wyvern was mauling a helpless pegasus while the Nohrian princess fought its rider on foot with an axe. Her style was startlingly ruthless; her heavy blows repeatedly knocked away the Hoshidan's naginata, eventually taking it clean out of her hands. Defenseless, the woman cowered away, and Camilla took the opportunity to bludgeon her with an overhead swing. The other sky knight was nowhere to be seen, having evidently fallen into the canyon.

The ground abruptly exploded behind Corrin, throwing him forward. He fell in a dazed heap, his ears ringing and his vision blurred. _'Wha...?'_ he thought, though the only sound leaving his lips was a quiet groan. He didn't hear his sister scream his name, or the beating of hooves as Gunter raced toward him. He only vaguely recognized the feeling of being lifted into the air and laid down on the horse's back.

Gunter shouted and slapped the animal's flank, prompting it to take off without him, galloping past Hans and onto the stone bridge. The air crackled with electricity and the knight gasped, throwing himself to the side to avoid the bolt of blue lightning. He put over a meter between himself and the point where the attack met the ground, but the blast still managed to knock him off his feet.

"C'mon, old man!" Hans called, waving his arm. "RUN!"

Gunter left his lance on the ground and ran as fast as he could toward his allies, away from the Hoshidan newcomer whose blade could summon lightning. He'd heard rumors about the High Prince with a sword to rival Prince Xander's Siegfried, but he realized now that he had underestimated the might of the weapon. This was no mere Levin sword—its rapid recharge and incredible destructive power weren't even comparable to standard magical blades.

Prince Ryoma of Hoshido was on foot, his bright red armor shining in the light radiating off his long, blue blade. He was chasing the Nohrians in the company of the snipers from the northern bunker, as well as two ninja who had arrived with him. Behind him, high above, a squadron of numerous falcon knights approached atop their horned mounts.

"MOVE!" Hans yelled, gesturing once more before turning and taking off across the bridge.

On the other side, Gunter's horse neared the last hurdle to safety. The plateau came up to the tops of its legs, and in between the throbbing of her head wound, Felicia worried the beast might not make the jump. Just in front of them, Camilla had climbed onto her wyvern and was prepared to receive them.

"Hold on tight, Corrin!" Felicia called back to him, though her speech was slightly slurred. Clutching her head with her right hand, she tightly gripped his left hand with hers.

"O-okay," he managed, his mind clearing somewhat. With a start, he realized he still clutched Ganglari in his right hand. _'How did I...?_ ' he thought. At that moment, the horse tensed for the jump onto the plateau, and Corrin could have sworn he felt the sword somehow give a slight tug backward. The next moment, he was on the hard ground, with the horse above and beyond him on the plateau. His aching head—he must have hit it—dangled over the edge, as did his torso, and Camilla was screaming and her wyvern's wings flapped, but he was sliding. Falling. Falling past black rocks, into the Bottomless Canyon. A blue shape was falling, too, faster than Camilla's wyvern and faster than himself, and now the shape was the only thing he could see.

()

"NO!" Camilla howled. "CORRIN!" She saw the blue shape, too, in the corner of her eye, but her attention was on her beloved, adorable, strong, kind, gentle, wonderful little brother falling into the infinite black void, disappearing in the darkness.

"Oh, no," Hans muttered. This wasn't at all what King Garon had instructed him to bring about. He kept running toward the plateau, only a few seconds away now. "Princess Camilla, go!" he shouted. "Fly back to Nohr!" The princess was still diving after Corrin, far too slow to catch him. "HE'S GONE! PRINCESS!"

Gunter, farther back on the stone bridge, cursed himself. Corrin was gone, most likely lying broken on some rock or another in a pitch-black grave. He would do well to fling himself into the abyss after such a failure. Nevertheless, he kept running. Whatever justice awaited him, he would rather face it head-on than accept a coward's death. And in any case, he would need to assure that Hans faced a punishment befitting the indescribably heinous crimes of murdering innocents and provoking a needless war.

Gunter's horse had stopped just before the rotted wooden bridge leading back to the west side of the canyon. Still atop the animal, Felicia hid her face in her hands and sobbed. Years upon years of dropping tea trays, smashing plates, and tearing clothes had culminated in the ultimate failure. She'd lost her grip on her master. She'd let him fall. After they had fought all those Hoshidans, and he'd been so brave and fought so well and hadn't let them scratch him, she had truly been the one to kill Corrin.

()

"Corrin!" a voice called out to him. Too high-pitched to be Camilla, and too close. It was coming from the blue shape, but the shape was alive. It had a long blue and white body, with splotches of red on its tiny hands, feet, and spinal fins. A dragon, he realized. Its tail resembled that of a whale's, oriented horizontally and also tipped with red. And atop its head, it wore a simple, white cloth covering, tied into a bow at the back.

The cloth, that voice...

"Lilith?" Corrin asked, though the sound was lost to the wind. Could this creature truly be one of his maids?

"Grab onto me, Corrin!" it... _she_ instructed.

"Gods, it is you," Corrin muttered, still only half-conscious. She drifted closer, and he wrapped his arms around her from behind. "Are you...a dragon?"

"Just hold on tight, milord!" Despite not having wings, the dragon Lilith started to slow their descent through some kind of magic. She drifted left to dodge a pillar of stone illuminated by the glow of her scales, and shortly after, they stopped falling altogether and began to rise.

Corrin was thoroughly baffled. "Lilith, what on earth are you?"

"You were correct in guessing 'dragon,' milord," she answered. "Though I suppose 'shape-shifter' may be just as appropriate, this is my true form."

"And you followed us all the way from Windmire?"

She giggled. "They didn't need me there, anyhow."

Corrin's foggy mind raced, trying with some success to remember all the time he'd spent in Lilith's company. "The bird I rescued," he murmured. "Was it...?"

"Indeed. That was me, milord."

They continued to rise, Corrin still trying to wrap his head around the situation. He grimaced as an unpleasant realization hit him. "We've been down here a while. There will be Hoshidans everywhere."

"I know," Lilith replied simply. "Be ready."

()

Gunter had reached the wooden bridge, pursued closely by the falcon knights, when Princess Camilla reappeared from the chasm. "Milady!" he called. "Hurry, to Nohr!"

Her reply was cut off by a blue lightning bolt appearing in front of her. Her mount swerved, and she struggled to calm it. She had lost sight of Corrin and the blue object, even after flying down until she could no longer see her own hands. Her brother was truly gone. And as much as she needed revenge for his death, she knew that she would need to live in order to exact it. Biting back her screams of anguish, she guided her wyvern back to Nohrian ground.

Hans, halfway across the bridge, saw that he had an opportunity. There was a chance that Camilla might just butcher Felicia right away when she reached her on the other side. It wasn't much to hope for, but if she did, then he would only need to tie up one loose end. Up ahead, a broken board caught his eye. _'Now or never.'_ Without slowing down, he stomped on the board and put his foot right through it. He let his axe fall into the canyon and grabbed the next board with both hands. A white-hot pain flared up all over his cut-up arms, but he managed to keep his grip, and the hurt made putting on a pathetic voice easier.

"Agh! Gunter!" he screamed. "Help me!"

Gunter was still a ways back. He felt an arrow bounce off the armor on his back, and the boards behind him were struck and blown apart by the Hoshidan prince's lightning. It was difficult enough just to stay on his feet. On top of all that, the falcon knights were closing in, almost within range to dive at him. "Help yourself!" he yelled back.

"I was just following King Garon's orders! I swear!" _'What the hell did I get myself into?!'_

"Lies!"

Hans was legitimately panicking now. "No! It's true! Save me and we'll ask him!" Gunter was almost past him. "PLEASE!"

With an irritated groan, Gunter stopped by the berserker's side and leaned over the hole. "Grab my hand!"

Hans did just that. And then, with a cruel smirk, he pulled with all his remaining strength and yanked the old knight off the edge. Between Corrin's death and outrunning the Hoshidans, Gunter's mind had been too overworked to even consider the possibility of further betrayal by the barbarian. He lost his grip on Hans and tumbled, screaming, into the canyon.

Hans, meanwhile, climbed back onto the bridge and immediately dove away from another lightning bolt. The lead falcon knight was coming straight for him, a skinny bitch with short red hair. He had no weapon, so he just covered his head with his bloodied arms and ran. Miraculously, no naginata came to impale him, and he looked up to see Prince Leo and some other blond guy throwing fireballs while Xander charged up his sword with some kind of red energy. He laughed, knowing that the Hoshidan must've backed off to keep from getting hit. Falicorns were pretty tough when it came to magic, but if she took too many hits while focusing on him, she would've gone down for sure. That meant he was more or less home free.

His thoughts were cut short by a shuriken in his back. He stumbled, but didn't let himself fall. Then the second ninja must've thrown one too, because a second shuriken pierced his flesh centimeters from the first. He was so close. _'C'mon, just a little more!'_

And then his feet hit dirt, and Prince Xander's horse was in between him and the Hoshidans. Hans laughed triumphantly, but it came out as more of a pained wheeze. He fell to his knees, gasping and feeling his back wounds open further with each breath.

"Peri, Laslow! Get Hans!" Xander ordered. He raised his sword and loosed a beam of blood-red energy at the Hoshidan High Prince. The samurai dodged it easily and raised his own blade to unleash a lightning bolt, which Xander had his horse sidestep. "Everyone, get to the convoy!"

"Niles," Leo said to his retainer. "Loose a couple more arrows, then run for it."

"I like that second part," the archer responded, nocking an arrow.

Elise was already on her way back to the wagons when she spotted a blue light rising out of the canyon—some kind of flying animal. And hanging from its back was a boy in white armor. "Oh my gods!" she squealed joyously. "It's Corrin!"

Xander followed her gaze. "Gods, she's right!" He raised Siegfried again. "Everyone with a ranged weapon, stay by the cliffside and keep Corrin covered!" He fired another beam at the Hoshidans, this time aimed at one of the falcon knights, who was forced to break formation. "Hang in there, little prince," he whispered.

()

"Oh, shit!" Corrin gasped as he and Lilith rose from the canyon. A proper Hoshidan battalion was on the scene, archers preparing to fire and falcon knights ready to knock them out of the sky. A lightning bolt struck Lilith, prompting a cry of pain, and several arrows zipped past them. Despite the onslaught, she kept flying. "Lilith, I won't have you die for me!"

"I can do this, milord!" she assured him. "There's no way I'll let you down now!"

The redhead falcon knight made a pass at them, and Lilith dove to avoid her. They weren't far from the others. Corrin could see the concerned expressions on his siblings' faces. For a moment, he dared to think they might actually make it. One brief, fleeting moment in which it seemed possible that they could escape, that he could be with his family again. _'Just a little bit...'_

An arrow hit Lilith and buried itself in her stomach. She screamed again, and they started dropping quickly. At this rate, they would land right on top of the samurai with the blue lightning sword.

They couldn't make it. They both knew that. But...

 _She_ could.

"Lilith, I'm so sorry," Corrin said. "But I can't let you die!"

He released his grip on her.

"No!" she lamented, echoed by the Nohrians on the cliff side.

The fall was almost too high to roll out of, but it hardly mattered. After he tumbled, Corrin fell flat on his face. Ganglari finally left his hand as he slipped out of consciousness, so close to his family and yet completely surrounded by enemies. _'I hope...they forgive...'_ he thought, unable in his stupor to even remember Lilith and Felicia's names. His mind completely emptied, and he knew no more.


	9. Memories and Lies

_October, 2013 AD_

"Send word to the King," Xander solemnly told the messenger. "Do not let word of this spread. My father will decide when to inform the people."

"Yes, milord," the man replied. "I'll depart at once." Without delay, he went to ready his horse.

The Crown Prince clenched and unclenched his fists several times as he walked back to his siblings. Their caravan was camped out just half a day's walk from the west side of the Bottomless Canyon, where Sir Gunter had met his doom in the unknowable depths, and where Corrin had fallen into the custody of the High Prince of Hoshido. Several Malig knights patrolled the sky, and attentive archers formed a defensive perimeter around the camp, which consisted of the circle within the sixteen parked wagons. Noting that each soldier was in position, Xander was again pained by his failure to mobilize them when Camilla slipped away to spy on Corrin. He and his siblings, with only their retainers for security, had followed her to the developing battle over the Canyon; and in their pitiful state, the Nohrian troop had stood no chance against the advancing Hoshidan brigade. While their brother crumpled to the ground and was dragged away, they had fled with their godforsaken tails between their legs.

The full moon was still hidden from sight by dark clouds, but the air had grown calm. Leo, Elise, and Camilla were sitting around a small bonfire, their retainers scattered about the wagons. Camilla sobbed into Leo's shoulder, but he just stared at the fire with a scowl across his face. Elise's tears flowed freely as well, and she did her best to avoid letting them fall onto the wounded creature under her Heal staff.

Xander took a seat on the ground next to his youngest sister and her patient. He placed a gentle hand on Elise's shoulder, but got no response. "Lilith," he said.

The dragon turned her head, her amber eyes reddened from crying. "What is it, milord?" she asked quietly.

" _It_ is quite a few things," he replied, his tone betraying some hostility. "Who are you, really?"

Her thin body, almost as long as Elise was tall, squirmed under his gaze. "A shape-shifter, of moderate talent, milord. I hail from a land far to the west, across the Great Wasteland."

Xander's accusatory frown remained. "Tell us about your homeland."

"My kin can all transform as I can." She spoke loud enough for the others to hear, and Leo leaned close to catch every word. "I meant to journey into this land with a party of mapmakers—our tribe uses the old material you call papyrus, and fruit pastes for ink. In any case, a sandstorm struck one night while we slept in the desert, and we were separated."

"And you continued to Nohr?"

"I didn't have one of the maps, nor any surviving supplies, and the storm turned me around. I just knew I had to leave the desert. As fate would have it, I ended up in the mountains of the Frozen Cauldron, near the Northern Fortress."

Elise gasped, shaking lose a tear from her cheek. "The bird Corrin rescued...was you?!"

"And that's why you took the name Lilith?" Leo suggested. "Because it was his name for you?"

The maid nodded. "Yes. I took the form of a bird, figuring that I wanted to guard my identity in case you humans were hostile."

"Does your tribe have a name?" Xander inquired.

" _Manakete_ ," she answered. "It translates roughly to 'the people' in our rather limited language."

"And does your tribe know of other intelligent races?" Leo asked.

"There are primitive humans in the lands bordering ours. We call them _Beorc_. 'The others.' Our tribes stay well away from each other."

Xander withdrew his hand from his sister and folded his arms. "So why did you return to the Northern Fortress? Why not fly home?"

Lilith shook her head. "When I left the fortress, I was still too weak to make the journey home. I usually stayed near the fortress, continuing to watch you humans interact. I was fascinated—entranced, even—by your complex culture. I regularly practiced speaking your language. Sometimes I flew to Windmire and beyond, learning more and more about humanity. Eventually, I realized that I no longer wanted to return home. I wanted to be a human. And when I noticed how close the Ice Tribe twins, Flora and Felicia, were to Corrin, I decided to be as much like them as possible."

"You stole some clothes on your way to the fortress," Leo guessed.

She eyed the ground, her pointed white cheeks growing red. "I didn't have much of an option," she said defensively. "I would've raised quite a few questions if I'd shown up naked at the gates."

Xander nodded. "As it was, you raised some questions. When I next visited the fortress after your hiring, four years ago, I was told to bring along a handful of new guards specifically to keep an eye on you."

"You spent _six years_ alone?!" Elise exclaimed. She set aside her staff, having done all she could for Lilith's wounds.

"Well...yes. But not the whole time; not exactly." Lilith flexed out her body, wincing a few times but still pleased by her recovery. "I once ventured far south of Windmire, to the Eli Forest. There, I happened across a peculiar young girl in mage robes who could somehow tell I wasn't a normal bird. She called out to me while I was observing her, so I landed. After some convincing, I showed her my human form. She got a little huffy then, for some reason, but she told me not to worry about it." She realized she was rather off-topic, and cleared her throat in the same way a human would. "Anyway, I met her a few times in those woods. But even when I was by myself, I rarely felt lonely because I devoted my attention to studying your civilization. It paid off, I suppose." Tears returned to her eyes. "Though I've proven a lousy caretaker."

"No," Xander said quietly. He sighed. "You're the best we could have asked for. You abandoned your assignment in Krakenburg just to risk your life for him."

"You believe her, then?" Leo asked.

The Crown Prince nodded. "I do. Do you, brother?"

Leo shrugged. "I guess it makes sense."

Lilith sniffled. "Thank you, milords."

A minute passed before anyone saw fit to break the silence. "So," Camilla ventured, "in your village, did no one wear clothes?"

"Erm... Yes, that's correct."

Leo's cheeks became faintly colored, and his eyes started to dart around the dragon rather than settling on her. Elise jumped slightly, evidently registering for the first time that a... _bare_ woman was sitting in her lap.

Lilith seemed to realize this, too. "Oh, goodness, Princess! I'm terribly sorry if I've bothered you."

"It's...fine," Elise managed, her face resembling a steamed lobster. "Uh, but maybe, if you'd want to, you could turn human and borrow one of my dresses?"

"Thank you, milady. I...shall do that now, perhaps. Excuse me, Your Highnesses." With considerable effort, the manakete levitated into the air and made her hasty trip to Elise's wagon.

Camilla gave her sister an apologetic look. "Sorry I had to point that out, dear."

Elise giggled. "Better now than later, right?" Her cheer faded quickly as images of Corrin filled her mind once again. Camilla evidently felt the same, having become equally crestfallen.

Xander stood up, the fire warmly illuminating his noble visage. The sight of his sisters in such pain twisted his heart. "They won't hurt him," he said softly. "They'll heal him, and comfort him. They'll bring him to their capital."

Elise held her knees to her chest. "He's gonna go with them, isn't he?"

"Elise..."

"Tell me I'm wrong!" she snapped. "They're his real family. Why shouldn't he go with them..."

Xander suppressed a groan. "We'll return to Windmire and discuss this with Father. He'll call for negotiations, and Queen Mikoto will return Azura to us."

"You're not answering me," his sister complained quietly.

"Corrin loves us, Elise." The Crown Prince was acutely aware that he was on the verge of tears himself, but he kept his voice flat. "I can't say what will happen afterward, but I know that he would never stand before us on a battlefield. Nor would I be willing to fight him."

She stared at the fire, weighing Xander's words against her own fears. "Okay," she said meekly.

()

"Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit!" Odin muttered. He paced alone outside his and Niles' carriage, the latter having fallen soundly asleep shortly after supper. Corrin's capture threatened to subvert a prophecy of redemption and invite eternal darkness upon the world. If harm befell the chosen hero while his guardians were absent, then all would be lost as chaos reigned in a maelstrom of—

"Odin," Laslow called, interrupting the mage's train of thought. "We need to talk." Xander's retainer was adorned in a set of blue studded leather armor that played on a design popular among Nohrian mercenaries. His unremarkable attire stood out next to the mage's eccentric getup, which consisted of black tights, a translucent cloth top with a waist-deep V-neck, and a flamboyant yellow cape.

"Indeed," his friend agreed. "Corrin's capture threatens to subvert a prophecy of redemption and—"

"Please stop."

"...Sorry."

Laslow brushed a stray hair out of his face. "This could spell doom for our entire mission, yes. Or, it could provide an opportunity."

Odin raised an eyebrow. "You have my attention, friend."

"We've been operating under the assumption that protecting Corrin meant serving the Nohrian royal family. But—and I readily admit, this will seem very much at odds with my previous urgings—if he and Kamui are both with the Hoshidan royal family, then we have a new possible plan of action."

Odin glanced around, then put his ear up to the wagon. When he heard Niles snore loudly, he turned back to his inter-dimensional ally. "'Tis a dangerous time and place for such talk, Laslow. The night has many ears, all leaning in close to uncover the dark secrets of men."

The myrmidon also scanned the area, figuring that if each of them looked for eavesdroppers, they'd be twice as likely to catch one. "I know, but we need a plan as soon as possible. What I'm thinking is we wait for the inevitable negotiations and make sure we're in attendance. Then, we drop the name 'Valla' on the good queen and see what she makes of it."

"And if she would hear and believe our plight?"

"We jump ship for Hoshido on the spot."

Odin put his hand on his chin and hummed. "I suppose it's our only option." He sighed and gave a sad smile. "Though it shall pain me to abandon my lord and Niles, and to break our unholy trifecta of incomprehensible power, I agree to your plan. I'll discuss with our other partner as soon as I can."

"Thanks, Odin." Laslow crossed his arms and chuckled. "Frankly, I shan't miss Peri one bit, though I feel guilty about leaving Lord Xander alone with that wild she-devil."

"If I'd never met her," Odin said with a wry grin, "I'd know she was awful because Niles has never tried to bed her." The pair chuckled. "You know, you've got quite a bit in common with him!"

"What?!" Laslow's cheeks flushed a deep crimson. "H-Hey!" he protested. "Not every advance I made was so blunt!"

"A good many, then."

"No!" A moment of silence passed. "...Perhaps." Odin snorted and launched into a fit of hysterical cackling, his face contorting with the effort of keeping quiet in the solemnity of the night. This, of course, did nothing to quell Laslow's agitation. "Hey! Stop laughing!" he demanded shamefully, receiving only more laughter in response. "In any case, I don't do that anymore."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really!" Laslow sighed. "Once upon a time, yes, I tried my luck with anything female that had two legs and a beating heart. But my behavior is much more chaste now. I shan't need to tell you why."

"Of course, friend," Odin replied. He hesitated a moment, realizing that his teasing had come a touch too close to mentioning his cousin, whose memory rarely failed to dampen the mood. "You're not the same young fool you once were. Your spirit yet glows with the fire of youth, but has grown to defy the vicious winds of rash naivety—and the allure of a billowing skirt—and now follows closely the guiding light of wisdom."

Laslow laughed and shook his head. "Meanwhile, you haven't changed at all, Odin."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

()

Farther along the caravan, Camilla's retainers were seated across from each other on smooth rocks near their wagon. "How could those Hoshidans be dumb enough to pick a fight with Nohrian royalty?" Selena complained. She was of average height with a lean build, and her thick crimson twintails fell just past her shoulders. Her armor resembled Laslow's somewhat, but was brown instead of blue and notably added a short skirt. "They would've killed him, too, if Lady Camilla didn't step in! Unbelievable."

Her white-haired companion, Beruka, was sharpening her axe with a whetstone. The smaller girl wore the steel plate of a Nohrian wyvern knight. "The soldiers might not have recognized him," she said. "Or it might be that Hoshido didn't instigate the conflict."

Selena cocked her head. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Without looking up, Beruka gestured to the nearby medical wagon, where the two injured survivors of the battle were presently housed. "Hans might have been responsible. He acts the part of a savage."

"I guess." Selena absentmindedly flicked away an insect by her side. "The King trusts him, though. And besides, what would he have to gain?"

Beruka simply shrugged and returned to her work.

"And what about the maid, Felicia?" Selena demanded. "She couldn't hold on to her master for one second? I think that's suspicious."

"She is clumsy; that is known. She also suffered a blow to the head from a pegasus hoof. It is not unreasonable that she would be unable to keep Lord Corrin on the horse, since he was dazed and injured as well." Beruka raised her axe, satisfied by the gleam of its edge in the limited moonlight. "In any case, Lady Camilla instructed me not to kill her."

"You asked?"

"On the chance that it might improve milady's mood. Her judgement often shifts when Prince Corrin is involved."

"Not to the point of executing people."

"This seemed to be a special case."

"I guess." Selena stretched her arms over her head. "We've gotta work on that monotone of yours."

"It doesn't make sense to devote effort to something as meaningless as my speech pattern."

"I was kidding. Gawds." The redhead put her hands out behind her and leaned back. "You think the Prince will stick with Hoshido once he knows the truth?"

"Yes." Beruka nonchalantly leaned closer, lowering her voice. "He will be weighing his true family against an aggressive kidnapper. And even if he wanted to return, Queen Mikoto would never allow it."

"Yeah. Thought you'd say that." Selena laid back on the rock with her hands behind her head. She inhaled deeply and let out a long sigh, staring up at the dreary sky and wondering how she'd let herself get dragged into another gods-damned war.

()

Every centimeter of Hans' sliced-up arms and the shuriken wounds in his back ached with a vicious, throbbing pain. But all things considered, he supposed he was recovering marvelously. _'After all,'_ he thought, _'I really should be dead after the shit I pulled at the Canyon.'_ He was annoyed to find he was still unable to sit up, but he could turn his head just fine. The maid was in the bed beside his, trying to sleep off a nasty headache. _'Lucky bitch.'_ Her head injury, the only hit she'd taken in the entire battle, had been cleaned, worked on by a cleric's staff, and bandaged up. They'd even found the time to wash the blood out of her hair and get her into a fresh outfit, a plain white patient's gown _. 'Aw, I musta been out for that part,'_ Hans mourned, his eyes lingering on the modest curves of her slim body. _'Shame. The Ice Tribe knows how to make 'em cute.'_

"Mmm, murg," Felicia groaned incoherently. She was starting to wake, and was evidently feeling her head throb before she even became fully conscious.

"You up, Felicia?" Hans asked.

"Unh... Y-Yeah," she muttered, her eyes still closed.

"You, uh, feeling okay?" he ventured.

"Like...a total...mess."

He forced a grin. "Yeah, I took a hell of a beating, too. You look better than I do, tell ya that."

She frowned. "Thanks?" She held her head and propped herself up with her other hand. "This is the...medical wagon?"

"Bingo."

"He...He isn't here," she whispered, starting to sob. "Corrin! Ohh!"

"Hey, c'mon, pull yourself together," Hans encouraged, taking as much of the harsh edge out of his voice as he could. "Ya did what you could. He's still alive, anyhow. So no need for the waterworks."

"Okay," she moaned tearfully, wiping her face with her bare arm.

"Attagirl."

"You're..." She sniffled and turned her head his way. "You're being nicer than you were before."

He grinned. "Well, ya did some good work in that battle, Pink. I respect a dame who can fight."

"But you, with that pegasus rider..." She scowled at him. "You _started_ that fight!"

"What?!" he exclaimed, feigning shock. He liked her angry face. _'Only way to make it cuter would be having it underneath me.'_ "You think... Shit, tell me what you _think_ happened," he requested.

"Uh...um..." She retreated a bit, leaning more on her pillow. "You attacked that girl, didn't you?"

He snorted. "Only 'cause she was moving to hit Corrin!"

"Huh?!"

"Yeah," he continued. "Her lance arm, or whatever the hell those weirdos use, was twitchin' to attack him. I snuck in under it and did what I had to do."

"But...all your laughing..."

He shrugged. "I like violence. Won't lie about that. When somebody makes an enemy of me, I get off on making 'em regret it."

Felicia shuddered, remembering how Hans had gleefully hacked off Hoshidans' limbs and sent them tumbling into the Bottomless Canyon. "You're a scary enemy," she said.

"Thanks." He laughed. She sat silently, evidently not amused by the jest. "Just be glad I'm on your side. Or, y'know, tolerate me."

"Oh. Okay..." She thought harder about the start of the battle, wondering if there wasn't some hole in his story. "I...I couldn't really see you, since Gunter's horse was in my way. But...why was Corrin so angry at you when you...killed her?"

He waved his arm dismissively. "Poor kid's still green. He thought knockin' her off her pegasus ought to be enough. But when you're surrounded, ya gotta take whatever you can get. I'm sure he'd get that now."

"...Yeah, that makes sense," she admitted. "Sorry I doubted you."

"Eh, it's alright. I'm an asshole." He laughed again, but she still wasn't in the mood. She stared forlorn at the ceiling, occasionally wincing from the pain in her head.

Hans took a moment to pat himself on the back for lying his way out of a death sentence. If she wasn't so daft, he didn't think he could've convinced the maid of his innocence in provoking the bloodbath. In any case, since he was off the hook, he figured he might as well keep the conversation going rather than just lie there. "You ever kill anybody before?" he asked.

"What?!" she said incredulously. "Why would you ask that, at a time like this?!"

"Ya seem more shaken up than you should be; and besides, I'm bored. So, have ya ever killed anyone?"

She turned away from him. "I..." She wasn't sure if she wanted to relive that memory. "Yes, I...I've killed someone."

"Well, well, well! Come on, let's hear it!"

"No!" she snapped, her pink hair whipping around as she turned to glare at him. The temperature in the room seemed to drop a couple degrees, and a thin layer of frost began to form on the bed under her hands. She recoiled, covering her blushing face. "I...I'm sorry."

"Yeesh," he remarked. "Forget I asked."

"No, no, it's okay," she hurriedly assured him. "For distrusting you...it's the least I can do." She took a deep breath to steady herself. "On our sixteenth birthday—me and Flora, my twin sister—Prince Xander came to the Northern Fortress with a prison wagon. He told Gunter to bring us out behind the fortress. Some guards brought two men out of the wagon." She was starting to tear up again. "They were both convicted rapists and murderers, sentenced to death. King Garon had sent them to us, so we...so we could..."

"He wanted you to kill them," Hans finished. "To prove that you could. That you could kill anyone who attacked Corrin."

"Y-yeah."

"Eh, it ain't so bad," he said. "The first time sticks with ya. Long as they were people worth killin', you'll get used to it eventually."

"...I don't want to get used to it," she said timidly.

He tried to fold his arms behind his head, but found it hurt too much to put any weight on them. "Well, that's the way it goes, Pink."

()

"...hit his head harder than I thought."

"Can't be too long, now. He'll wake up soon."

Corrin's eyes twitched, but remained shut. The two voices he was hearing—a man and a woman—were definitely Hoshidan, which immediately set off alarm bells in his head. He willed his breathing to stay low and his body to be still, quickly recalling the events that had led to his current situation. His mind raced, his thoughts chaotically shifting from Hans' crime, to Lilith's bizarre revelation, to the Hoshidan blood on his own hands. The whole ordeal was stranger than any novel he'd ever read, as surreal as a bedtime fairy tale, and...just, painful. On his body almost as much as on his psyche.

Pushing the gruesome images of his dead opponents as far as he could from his mind, Corrin tried to determine his immediate surroundings. He was careful not to move, knowing that a guard might still be inside the room with him, or perhaps on the other side of a thin screen door, like he knew the Hoshidans to employ. He was laying under a soft quilt on a thick, cushioned mat, which seemed to be sitting on the floor. He was wearing only his undergarments, which were no longer damp with sweat as they had certainly been when he was captured. A significant period of time must have passed since he was taken—hours, judging by the tone of the pair he had heard upon waking. It was dark, he could figure that out with his eyes closed; but he could also detect the flickering of candles, which meant he must be indoors, and that any guess as to the time would be random. He wasn't moving, but he doubted he had been housed in either the contested canyon fortress or some nearby building, so he reasoned he must be in a parked wagon.

"I know you're awake." A new woman's voice abruptly broke the silence, and Corrin cringed before he could stop himself. Figuring there was nothing left for him to do, he opened his eyes to see a female ninja seated across from him on a cushion. Her long, dark hair was tied back neatly, and her eyes were sharp and attentive.

"So I am," he replied, flattening most of the terror in his voice. He glanced around the room, confirming that it was indeed the inside of a wagon. The only light came from a pair of candlesticks burning in bolted-down holders on the walls. He'd been correct about the mattress and the quilt, and he found he was lying near the middle of the room. A white robe and a pair of wooden sandals rested on the floor beside him. "When, and where, have I awakened?"

"Nearly dawn," she answered. "Well into Hoshido."

He swallowed, paining his dry throat. "Might I meet with your commanding officer? I...know I have some explaining to do."

"Lord Ryoma will hear all you have to say, when you are ready," the woman said, not skipping a beat.

Corrin blanched, his already pale face going completely white in the candlelight. "P- _Prince_ Ryoma?"

"Yes. I am His Highness' retainer, Kagero."

"Oh, gods," Corrin muttered. "I shall do all I can not to offend your lord, Dame Kagero."

"'Dame'?" she questioned.

"Oh, ah..." he fumbled. "'Dame' is the title given to female knights in Nohr. It's, uh, also thrown around in slang a bit, but..." He let the thought dissipate.

"No title will be necessary," she informed him.

"Okay." He glanced about uncomfortably, shifting under the blanket. "I am... Gods, this is so pathetically inadequate, but—"

"Save your apologies for Lord Ryoma."

Corrin flinched. "Er, is that a...threat?"

"A warning." Kagero kept her expression neutral, but her voice developed a noticeable bite. "Don't try my patience with apologies."

 _'What to say to that?'_ he wondered incredulously. _'I'm sorry I killed your friends?'_ She was clearly taking the attack personally on some level. He decided that it would benefit him to drop the subject entirely. "The robe is for me, then?" he inquired.

"Yes. If you feel well enough, dress yourself, and I will take you to Lord Ryoma."

"Well, I feel sick to my gods-damned stomach," he admitted. "But my body feels fine. I've been healed?"

"Two medics were assigned to you once you were secured."

Corrin noted that Kagero never nodded, keeping her eyes locked on him at all times. Her grim, calculated mannerisms were in line with what he'd read about Hoshidan ninja in his studies, but the real thing was more unnerving than any book could have conveyed. "I shall thank Prince Ryoma for that," he said, pushing the blanket off him and grabbing the white robe. He dressed quickly, his thoughts not too preoccupied to realize that he was nearly bare under a woman's particularly scrutinous eye. Upon knotting the ties in the front and looking himself over once, he stepped into the sandals and nodded to his captor.

She stood gracefully. "Let's be off, then. You go first," she instructed. "The door isn't locked."

He walked past her and placed a hand on the doorknob. "You won't bind my hands?"

"There is no need."

"If you say so." With a deep breath, Corrin turned the knob, feeling the chilly night air on his face as he pushed the door open.

The Hoshidans' camp felt almost comfortingly normal. The caravan was larger than the one that had brought him to the Bottomless Canyon, but was arranged in the same way, with the wagons parked in a circle around the camp in close proximity to each other. Two bonfires blazed in the center, illuminating the whole place and largely succeeding in driving out the autumn cold. A few soldiers occupied the area around the fire pits, but the majority were either asleep in their wagons or on patrol.

"Prince Ryoma is in that coach," Kagero said, pointing without looking at a carriage identical to the others a short way around the perimeter.

"Okay," Corrin acknowledged, starting toward the man who, he supposed, would decide how he ought to be punished for his attack on the border fortress. He perked up a tad when he realized that, if he cooperated, he might at least be reunited with Azura in Hoshido. His sister had been kidnapped when they were only eight years old, and he had always shared his older siblings' longing to see her again.

He sighed. _'Silver lining,'_ he thought grimly, knowing that it was equally possible they'd lock him in a rotten, isolated cell underneath Castle Shirasagi.

He reached the High Prince's coach and placed a hand on the doorknob, glancing one more time at Kagero. "Enter," she directed, still refusing to nod her head.

Corrin didn't bother responding, instead taking a breath to steel himself before briskly pulling the door open and stepping inside.

Prince Ryoma was seated cross-legged atop a cushion on the floor, on the far side of a low, polished wooden table in the middle of the room. Despite this, Corrin could immediately tell that the man was tall and broad-shouldered, and he held himself with a kind of tangible dignity that only Corrin's father and brother could match. A thick mass of dark brown hair spilled out over the back of his scarlet kimono.

"Have a seat, Prince Corrin," he instructed in a deep voice. Corrin could read no emotion from his captor, which only served to unsettle him further. He was beginning to wonder if Hoshidan nobles simply lacked any sentiment at all.

The room was better lit than the one in which he had awakened. Four candles lined each wall, and another stood in the center of the table. Two plates of rice, chicken, and a white vegetable he did not recognize were set, along with two glasses of water and two pairs of the thin wooden utensils he knew to be chopsticks. A pillow waited on the floor just in front of him, so he tentatively took his seat and placed his hands on his knees. "It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness," he said, hastily bowing his head when he realized he hadn't done so upon entering. "I deeply regret the circumstances surrounding this occasion."

"Yes, I'm afraid you have some explaining to do, as do I. But I welcome you to eat before, or during, our conference, if you wish."

Corrin nodded. "I should like to eat while we speak. I cannot thank you enough, showing such hospitality to an enemy." He picked up the chopsticks and stared at them a moment.

"I'm afraid this is hardly fine Hoshidan cuisine. Are you familiar with chopsticks?" Ryoma inquired.

 _'Still no emotion at all.'_ "I understand the concept," Corrin replied. To demonstrate, he clumsily lifted a slice of chicken and managed to nibble it before dropping the whole thing back onto his plate. "Er, I'll manage." He cleared his throat. "But we've more important things to discuss."

"Go on," Ryoma said, taking a bite of his own meal.

"There was no plan to attack your border fortress, nor did I have any intention of doing so." Corrin's face twisted into a scowl at the memory of Hans' betrayal. He tried a bit of the white vegetable, finding it to be rather plain on its own, before continuing. "A soldier of mine—and not one I elected to accompany me—savagely killed a sky knight who landed on the Nohrian side of the canyon. And then..." He shuddered, recalling the way the woman had clutched at her gaping neck and spasmed as she choked to death on her own blood. "And then he just ran ahead to engage your samurai, and we were either to follow him, or to die fighting the other sky knights." He lowered his gaze and wiped away a tear, burning up with embarrassment over losing his composure so quickly. "I know, it may seem absurd..."

"I believe you."

"What?" Corrin stared at the Hoshidan prince, at once baffled and relieved. "Truly?"

Ryoma folded his arms. "It lines up with recent reports. Are the names 'Kaze' and 'Rinkah' familiar to you?"

Corrin's expression remained incredulous. "The ninja and the Flame Tribe princess?"

"Indeed."

Corrin leaned closer. "Please tell me: are they alive? Did they reach Hoshido?"

"Yes, they're both fine." Ryoma hummed and put a hand to his chin. "King Garon must have been preparing you for this. But why send _you_ , now?"

Corrin set down his glass. "Excuse me? My father didn't know the fort was occupied. The intel was bad."

"Ah, but I forget myself." Ryoma let his arms down. "Corrin, I'm afraid I am not the best speaker, particularly with such sensitive matters. But I must tell you something that you are...unlikely to believe." At last, the stoic royal seemed to be experiencing a feeling—apprehension, or guilt, or else something that would give him pause.

The Nohrian cocked his head. "Well, you believed me without hesitation. At the least, I have to give you a chance."

"Very well. Corrin, King Garon...is not your father."

Corrin frowned. "What?"

Ryoma held up his palm to silence his captive. "Your mother is no wife or concubine of Garon, either. She yet lives in Hoshido, as its queen."

"That's—"

"Mikoto is your mother. I am your step-brother."

" _Stop_!" Corrin said firmly, his annoyance granting him newfound confidence. "This is preposterous!"

"Corrin..."

"No!" Corrin pushed off from the floor and stood, clenching his fists and staring down his so-called step-brother. "You capture me, heal me, and immediately start feeding me such outlandish lies?! I won't be subjected to this!"

"Please—"

"Your Highness, spare me these absurdities!" The albino put his clenched hands together and held them out in front of him. "Just bind me in chains and lock me away with my _sister_ , Azura. Be done with it! None of these disgusting falsehoods!"

"ENOUGH!" Ryoma boomed. His voice carried such a strong psychological impact that it nearly knocked Corrin off his feet. "Did I not warn you that this would be a hard revelation?"

Corrin scoffed, though his confidence wavered somewhat. "Yeah, you were right to think I wouldn't believe you. You Hoshidans are just as underhanded as I was taught!"

Ryoma shot to his feet. "Do _not_ mock our people!"

"Don't you mock my father!"

The door of the carriage opened, and a voice that was somewhat scratchy but decidedly feminine yelled, "Stop it!"

Corrin whipped around to face the newcomer, a thin woman with short red hair in the armored dress of a sky knight. He recognized her from the battle at the Canyon, but despite the fact that she must have seen him at least once since their skirmish, she appeared totally dumbstruck at his presence. Her mouth fell open, and tears came quickly to her eyes.

"What?" Corrin demanded before she threw her arms around him. "H-Hey!"

"Oh gods, Corrin!" she sobbed. "I'm...I'm sorry. I couldn't keep myself away!"

"Would...you..." He grabbed her wrists. "Get off me!"

She froze. "Oh." Slowly, her hands fell away.

"Corrin," Ryoma cut in, "this is your step-sister, Hinoka."

"A pleasure," he spat.

The woman looked over his shoulder at her brother. "Ryoma, you told him?"

"Yes, but he doesn't believe me."

"And why should I?" Corrin continued glaring at Hinoka, guiding her by her hands to take a step back.

"B-Because it's true!" she blubbered. "Please, Brother, you must hear us out!"

"I _mustn't_ do anything!" Corrin's gaze leapt back and forth between the prince and princess. He could hardly wrap his head around the idea that the Hoshidan royal family could behave in such a disgraceful manner.

Ryoma stepped around the table. "Corrin, hold a moment, and consider something." He took the younger man's lack of a response as a cue to continue. "You may have already been told, truthfully, that Kaze had a hand in Azura's kidnapping."

"That's _Princess_ Azura," Corrin hissed.

Ryoma shook his head. "We consider her a sister, unless you call your Nohrian family by titles?"

"Azura is no more your sister than I your brother."

Hinoka smiled through her tears. "You're technically right about that."

"You know what I meant." Corrin sighed. "Continue, High Prince."

"Kaze's mission was never to seize Azura; it was to rescue _you_." Corrin moved to speak, but Ryoma raised a palm to silence him. "King Garon was holding you as leverage, to force us to surrender the Great Plains."

"Bullshit." Corrin was beginning to doubt that a single sensible thought would ever emerge from either of his captors. "Even with his own innocent little daughter locked up by you brutes, Father only ever thought to do what was best for his people."

Hinoka moved between them and glared at Corrin. "'Best for his people?!' That _monster_ —!"

"Hinoka!" Ryoma yelled. His sister clenched her fists tightly and took a step back. He cleared his throat. "Corrin, what were you told of King Sumeragi?"

"Your father?" Corrin thought back to the lessons in Hoshidan politics he had received from Gunter and Xander. "You mean about his death?"

"Indeed."

"There were negotiations in Cheve," Corrin remembered. "Father attended, too. Nohr, Hoshido, Nestra, Mokushu, Kohga, and Izumo all had representation." He paused, allowing Ryoma to confirm his recollections with a nod. "Talk was heated, tensions were high. Late into the night, fighting broke out, and Sumeragi was killed."

"That's all correct," Ryoma affirmed. "But it isn't the whole story."

"Of course it isn't," Corrin remarked bitterly.

"Father didn't go to the negotiations alone. Besides a company of soldiers, he brought along his two older sons." He paused. "Myself, and you."

"Look, Your Highness, I'm sorry you lost your father, but..." Corrin groaned. "But this is just absurd. My father, cold as he may appear, is not a kidnapper."

Hinoka scowled. "How well do you really know your 'father'?" she demanded.

"I know that he loves his children!" Corrin countered. " _All_ of his children, including myself. Just how well do you—" He stumbled over his words, nearly forgetting himself in his frustration. "—Your Highnesses—know a man you've never met?"

"I met him in Cheve," Ryoma reminded him. "He took my father and my brother from me."

"Have you a single legitimate point to make?!" Corrin exclaimed. "Our negotiations have been held by proxy since that incident. You can't base your argument on the account of a child!"

Ryoma winced. He paused a moment, deciding whether the conversation was worth continuing. "You're right."

Hinoka stared at him, eyes gaping. "Brother!"

"I know, Hinoka. Corrin..." The High Prince looked over his prisoner once more, wondering what the Queen would feel if her own son rejected her. "We shall meet Kaze before we reach Shirasagi. He will give you his account of our father's death, and you may judge for yourself whether it is true."

"Will I be brought to Azura?" Corrin asked.

"Of course."

"Then I shall go with you without struggle."

Ryoma nodded. "I am relieved to hear you say so...if not exactly satisfied."

Hinoka gave Corrin a pained smile, holding her arms loosely around her midriff as if simulating the hug she knew he would not provide. "Please, give us a chance, Corrin. Even if Kaze doesn't quite clear your doubts, Azura surely will!"

"I'm afraid I can't take your word for that. If you'll excuse me." Corrin made for the exit without any farewell gesture, stepping out into the red light of dawn and closing the door behind him.

Ryoma glared at his sister. "What in the Dawn Dragon's name was that performance?!" he demanded.

"What? I'm not allowed to be emotional?" she snapped back.

"Don't be coy, Hinoka! You can't pressure Corrin into accepting us by acting like a blubbering mess."

She growled in frustration. "Alright, I hammed it up a _bit_ , but how is it fair to criticize me for wanting my brother back?!"

"Sister, that's not what—"

"Am I supposed to act like I don't give a rat's ass?!"

"Of course not!" He put a hand on her shoulder, which she shrugged away. "But 'hamming it up' risks driving him away. The truth is more compelling than Garon's lies, even without Kaze and Azura's own accounts. Corrin's cooperation is merely a matter of time. And, of course," he added, "his love, as well. So, please, be patient."

She sighed. "I know. I...I'll try."

"Thank you." He gave her a reassuring smile. "In all likelihood, Kaze will have convinced him by the time Mother has him in her arms again."

"That's a nice thought," she remarked with a chuckle.

"Indeed." Ryoma placed his hand on her shoulder again, and this time she allowed him to embrace her. "Finally, our family will be whole again."


	10. A Twisted History

_October, 2013 AD_

General Yukimura walked slowly through the halls of Shirasagi, a contemplative hand upon his pointed, slightly scruffy chin. He knew he ought to be grinning like a madman, eagerly rushing to inform the Queen that her long-lost son had been secured at last, and that her two elder step-children were escorting him home. Yet he was greatly bothered by the circumstances of the prince's return, even beyond the fact that Corrin was allegedly involved in the deaths of several Hoshidan soldiers.

"Good evening, General," Princess Kamui called from farther down the hall.

Yukimura looked up from the floor and compelled himself to smile. "Likewise, milady. Say, may I have a moment of your time?"

She stopped and nodded, taking a moment to throw her long hair back over her shoulder. "Of course."

"I've been informed that milord Corrin is in your older siblings' custody."

"What? Truly?" She tried to shake off her blank stare and attempted to make a declaration of joy, but the words caught in her throat. _'I don't know if Hoshido could ever be his home.'_ She'd said that mere days ago, and now...

"I shared your surprise, milady," he assured her. "They're about halfway from the Bottomless Canyon by now. Kaze is to meet them in the town of Kamiki, just one day out from the Great Wall."

"Kaze's going beyond the wall?" Kamui questioned. A brief look of clear concern crossed her features, and she quickly steeled herself.

"Only so far as Kamiki. He knows as well as you and I that he isn't ready to risk a fight, whether against bandits, Faceless, or Nohrians." He flashed her another halfhearted smile. "And in any case, you only just got done saving his life."

She chuckled softly. "So, is Mother aware of this yet?"

"I was on my way to tell Her Majesty. But, ah... Never mind. Would you care to join me?" He started off again down the hall, giving her a moment to keep up.

"Of course," she replied. "But what was it you were about to say? Please."

"Well..." He sighed. "According to the report, Corrin...killed Omozu."

"What?!" Kamui grabbed Yukimura's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. "You're sure of this?"

"I've little doubt, milady." He coughed. "He approached the Bottomless Canyon with a small personal guard—from what I've heard, a rather ragtag group. They assaulted the Hoshidan force and laid a brief siege to the Central Border Fortress. Prince Ryoma incapacitated him after he..." He paused awkwardly. The report had gone into some additional detail about Omozu and Corrin's struggle. "Er, anyway. The Nohrian royal family, aside from King Garon, arrived to aid him, but then things became...odd, as it were."

Kamui felt sick. Omozu was a pleasant man, and a brave warrior. He had no wife or children, but his aging mother was going to be crushed. _'Saizo was going to relieve him,'_ she thought. "Odd how?" she asked aloud, unsure if she really wanted to know any more.

"Corrin was placed onto a horse by an old Nohrian knight, but he fell off over the Canyon and actually fell in."

"Yet he lives," Kamui interjected. _'It could have been Saizo. It could have been...oh, gods...'_

"Indeed. He was, apparently—and this is all in the report—he was rescued by some kind of small, wingless dragon." He waited a moment to see if she had anything to add. "The dragon tried to fly him back to Nohr, but was injured and dropped him onto the bridge. By that time, Lord Ryoma and Lady Hinoka's soldiers were in much better position than the Nohrians, and Prince Xander called a full retreat."

"Gods..." She took a slow breath. "So what will you tell Mother?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "Her Majesty deserves to know that her son is returning, but he has inexcusably spilled Hoshidan blood." He realized that his tone was becoming inappropriately heated. "Er, forgive me, milady, that was hardly within my right to say."

"It's no fault of yours, Yukimura." She crossed her arms. "This is dire. He killed...others as well?"

"The report accuses him of personally killing one samurai, and of directly involving himself in the deaths of several other soldiers."

"Gods..." she murmured again.

"Additionally," he continued, feeling sorry for the princess and even more so for the yet-unaware queen, "he has been deceived by the Nohrians into thinking that he is the child of Garon and his late Queen Arete."

She stared at him blankly. "I...wow." She couldn't help but be a tad annoyed at herself for behaving like a slow child, but every word out of the general's mouth was harder to believe than the last. Hoshidan intelligence had concluded nearly seventeen years earlier that King Garon's "secret child," spoken of frequently in Nohrian rumors, was in fact the missing Prince of Hoshido, and Azura had confirmed as much when she was questioned by Mikoto a few months after her arrival in Shirasagi. Yet even Kaze and Rinkah's report hadn't yielded such a revelation as this. Corrin truly thought that he was Garon's child by blood, and Azura's brother, no less. The absurdity almost made Kamui laugh. "Is there...anything _else_ to add?"

"Well..." Yukimura sighed. "Yes, I'm afraid so. But it isn't from the report; not directly, at least. It's just something about the circumstance that bothers me."

"I think I know what you mean," the princess replied. "Why the hell would Garon want Corrin to attack the border without an army behind him? From the sound of it, the royal family wasn't even supposed to assist him. A prince launching a personal invasion might as well be a formal declaration of war, but this seems like something else entirely."

"Corrin claims that one of his bodyguards initiated the attack, and that he'd had no intention of fighting anyone. I won't speak for milord, but I've no doubt whatsoever that Garon must have known your brother would end up fighting." He had one last suspicion to address, but he felt it was radical enough that he ought to see if Kamui would reach the same conclusion.

"Perhaps..." she mused, evidently just as hesitant to express her own skepticism. "What if King Garon _wanted_ Corrin to be captured?"

He nodded, hardly relieved by her agreement. "Yes, I think that's exactly right. But to what end, I admit I've not the slightest idea. Any thoughts, Princess?"

"Azura's brother..." she mumbled, eyeing the tile floor.

"Pardon?"

She looked up at him and shook her head. "Sorry. I'm wondering why Garon would treat Corrin as if he were truly that demon's son. Surely, he could have developed a more convincing story." Her eyes went wide.

"Milady?" Yukimura inquired, his brow raised in intrigue.

"This will be his excuse to declare war," she stated darkly. "By his twisted, asinine logic, Hoshido has now captured two of his children."

The general felt pinpricks run up his neck. "By the gods, you're right." He held his forehead in his palm. "Oh, what will we tell Her Majesty?"

"Well," she began hesitantly, folding her arms loosely, "we don't...necessarily need to tell her that he killed anyone. Agh, but that'd be awfully disrespectful to their families. Omozu's mother—"

"No, I think you're right," Yukimura insisted. "In fact, if his mother knew that his killer was to—er, and perhaps I'm making a bit of an assumption—that Prince Corrin is to be pardoned..." Kamui nodded, prompting him to continue. "...then she may become far more distressed than, say, if we simply reported that he died in combat with Nohrians. It would be for her sake as well as Queen Mikoto's."

The princess hummed. "Damn. It doesn't feel right, but that seems to be the only logical option." She shifted her feet. "And of Garon's plot, perhaps we ought to keep to ourselves. It's still just a hunch, after all, even if it's a hunch we both share."

Yukimura let out something resembling a groan, attempting to mask it with a cough. "That's akin to withholding intelligence."

"It's not intelligence, it's a hunch," Kamui argued. "We'll tell Ryoma and Hinoka when they return. If one of them wishes to present our theory to Mother, then by all means she'll find out. Until then, we should leave the other generals to their own conclusions. Oh, and I suppose we'll count Takumi among them."

"Agh, I suppose." He adjusted his glasses. "Thank you for your counsel, milady."

"Of course." She smiled at him. "Now then, let's tell Mother the good news!"

He could easily tell she was putting on a facade, but he figured he was worse for wear. The mere thought of not telling his queen everything was causing him nausea. "Perhaps you should do most of the talking, Princess."

She chuckled—again, just to prove she could—and started again toward the throne room. "That might be best."

()

"Oh, gods be praised!" Mikoto declared in elation. Her eyes were practically glowing as she lifted her cerulean skirts and stepped quickly down the five steps from the grand throne to the floor, her shoes gliding over the red velvet carpet. Her black hair was styled such that two even measures ran down from the sides of her face to midway about her chest, and the rest was funneled through the center of the flat, spiked golden piece on the back of her polished circlet. She had allowed it to grow to waist-length, and it now cascaded behind her and flapped against her back with each hurried step. Her bangs were swept aside to the left, revealing an intricate loop in the circlet that spanned half her forehead.

She threw her arms around Kamui, who wholeheartedly returned the embrace. "Your brother, my darling little son is finally coming home!" She sniffled, and a tear fell onto her daughter's shoulder. "And what luck, that he should be returned by his older brother and sister!"

The huge chamber was pleasantly lit by the windows that comprised much of the left and right-hand walls. Additionally, a trio of enormous crystalline chandeliers, each housing dozens of magically lit candles in their hollow centers, cast dapples of flickering white light across the room. The throne's backdrop, a symmetrical tangle of gold resembling organic vines within a semi-circle shaped like the rising sun, caught the light in a marvelous fashion that seemed to indicate divinity in its owner. The guards had been dismissed, and the windows closed to preserve the secrecy of the report from Ryoma.

"I can hardly believe it myself, Mother," the princess replied with a tone of calm enthusiasm. "It's fortuitous beyond what I thought possible." She kicked herself for using such formal language, but her mother was quite nearly hysterical and had little chance of noticing.

The queen held her daughter at arm's length and dabbed at her face with her sleeve. "Ah, but I'm getting ahead of myself," she admitted, the corners of her mouth dropping just slightly. "My son wasn't injured, was he? How did he come into our custody?"

Yukimura cleared his throat and began to give the explanation he'd prepared. "He was engaged with Omozu's squadron at the Bottomless Canyon, in an attack started by one of King Garon's lapdogs. I am terribly sorry to report..." He winced, seeing the smile fade from Her Majesty's face. "Omozu lost his life to a Nohrian soldier, milady."

Mikoto's hands fell away from Kamui's shoulders and clasped loosely over her abdomen. "Oh," she choked out after a moment. "That is dreadful news, indeed." She bowed her head and closed her eyes, her companions doing the same as she offered a silent prayer for the fallen ninja.

Kamui silently counted twenty seconds, the typical length of her mother's unplanned prayers, before raising her head to see Mikoto slowly do the same. Yukimura opened his eyes a few seconds later.

The general adjusted his glasses, annoyed when they ended up sitting in a worse spot than before. "He would be proud to know that his sacrifice returned our lost prince to us, milady."

"Yes..." Mikoto whispered, dropping the word as if she had more to say. She bit her lower lip.

Kamui recognized the gesture, as it was something she had inherited from her mother. The habit only showed itself when they were contemplating a dire situation. "Mother?"

"I can't feel him."

Yukimura blinked. "His spirit, milady?"

"Yes. Something isn't right... If not for the discussion of his death, he should at least be here for his mother. Yet, I feel nothing."

Kamui noticed she was biting her own lip now. Her mother's connection to the realm of spirits was stronger than any other divine attendant in Hoshido. She knew well how they behaved in the days after their death, even when the subject wasn't a family friend, as Omozu had been.

"Even familiar spirits have their peculiarities, Mother," the princess assured. "I'm sure that wherever he is, he's at peace."

"Yes, you must be right," Mikoto said quietly. She didn't sound convinced in the slightest. "So, then. Corrin is unharmed, I hope?"

Kamui's thoughts were still on Omozu. If her mother said his spirit should be here, then it definitely should be. Compounded with the fact that Mikoto's prophetic visions had been progressively hazier over the past several years, this revelation had confusing and, if she was being honest with herself, somewhat frightening implications.

She mustered up a decent smile. "Nothing Ryoma's medical team couldn't fix. He'll be in peak condition when he meets Kaze in Kamiki."

The queen's face lit up once more, even if the weight of her many worries didn't quite vanish from her visage. "It puts my heart at ease to hear that," she said genuinely. "And seeing Kaze again will surely help ease Corrin into realizing that Hoshido is his true home."

"Mm-hmm," Kamui managed to hum, accompanied by a slight nod. She fought the urge to grit her teeth, and reminded herself that Corrin and Kaze were not at odds in reality as they were in her mind.

"Have you anything else to report, Yukimura?" Mikoto queried.

"Some very odd occurrences," he answered. "Princess Kamui might do a better job explaining than I could."

As they had discussed in the hallway, Kamui recounted the report's claims that the Nohrian royal family was present at the Canyon with Corrin, and had engaged Omozu's and Ryoma's soldiers. She noted the shocked surprise in her mother's eyes when she said Corrin had fallen into the canyon, and the bewilderment that replaced it at the mention of the small blue dragon that had rescued him. And, as planned, Kamui left out two key details: the murders Corrin had committed, and the fact that he thought he was Garon and Arete's son.

"Goodness," Mikoto murmured. "To think that we almost lost him again..." She shook her head and grinned. "Oh, but there's no use for such thoughts. I must find the chance to meet this dragon at some point!" She tittered at her own comment, and her companions felt obliged to try to chuckle with her.

"It's seems that Ryoma and Hinoka may need time to get through to him," Kamui confessed. "But he'll have come around by the time he arrives. Say, when is Sakura supposed to return from the Flame Tribe?"

"Just four more days," her mother answered. "How long did Ryoma's message take to reach you, Yukimura?"

"Two days, milady."

The queen clapped her hands once. "Excellent!" she declared merrily. "They should arrive in three, then; and Sakura can meet him the day after!"

As delighted as Kamui was to see her mother so ecstatic, she was fully prepared for the momentary rejoicing to come crashing down once more. Her mother's beaming grin fell suddenly into a sad half-smile. "We'll need to postpone planning the homecoming party," she sighed. "Kamui, will you accompany me to Omozu's mother's residence?"

"Of course, Mother." Kamui threaded her hand into her mother's and gave it a comforting squeeze. "Yukimura, please begin preparations for a memorial ceremony. Something quiet and modest, away from the bustle of the marketplace."

"Yes, milady." The general bowed politely and left the throne room. A few moments later, the queen and her daughter followed his path at a slow, thoughtful pace.

()

As he lay on the mat in his wagon, Corrin marveled at the Hoshidan tunic he wore. When he first dressed himself after waking up in captivity, he'd been far too nervous about his meeting with High Prince Ryoma to notice just how comfortable the soft, breathable ensemble was. After sleeping off his nerves that first night and convincing himself that the soldiers in the caravan wouldn't try to lynch him, he hadn't had much to occupy his mind with. So the realization that the dark blue kimono was easily the nicest piece of clothing he'd ever worn impressed him more than he figured it had any right to. The wooden sandals were a different story.

He sat up when he heard two curt knocks on the door of the carriage, followed by Kagero's voice calling, "Prince Corrin, I'm entering."

"Okay," he called back, rising to his feet as the door opened and the ninja climbed in. She had let her hair down for the first time since the Canyon, and the blades had been removed from her armor, though she still wore it.

"We've reached the village of Kamiki," she informed him. "Come with me."

Corrin nodded and stepped past her through the doorway. Even now, she refused to take her eyes off of him, lest he fail miserably to escape. A thought occurred to him. "Does Kaze know what happened at the Canyon?"

"Yes. Lord Ryoma instructed that Kaze be told everything, so that he had a chance to mull over the unpleasantness of recent events before meeting with you."

The calm manner in which she delivered such statements made Corrin feel sick to his stomach. To her, it was a simple, undeniable fact that he was a warmonger and murderer of innocent Hoshidans; and even worse, part of him solemnly agreed.

"That's good," he said.

A quick look around confirmed that the caravan was parked on the outskirts of a small town, which looked like it would be home to about three hundred people. A smooth stone wall about three meters tall and rectangular in shape surrounded the village, and was topped by single-person watch-posts every fifteen meters. The quaint houses and shops were made from cobblestone, and most featured sharply slanted roofs like that of the fortress at the Bottomless Canyon. Dirt roads had been paved throughout the hamlet. Along the southern wall, expansive fields of rice and vegetables stretched halfway to the horizon, and the north side had an equivalent space in which oxen and other livestock grazed freely on abundant green grass. Nowhere did Corrin see the rocky, infertile soil of Nohr, and the cheerful faces of the townsfolk were a stark contrast to the pains of starvation that weighed down Nohrian peasants.

"Well," Corrin remarked. "It seems the Hoshidan country is as bountiful and pleasant as I've been taught."

"Indeed," Kagero replied flatly. "That is why King Garon is so eager..." She stopped herself.

Corrin turned around and glared at her. "If you're going to say demeaning things about my father, I'd rather you do it to my face."

"It is not my place." She looked like she wanted to say more, but held her tongue.

Corrin resisted the urge to groan. "Is Prince Ryoma coming with us?" he asked, the frustration obvious in his voice.

"My lord is already meeting with Kaze in the town hall. Follow the road."

"Hmph."

They walked silently into Kamiki, drawing the gazes of many of its people. Corrin knew they must have been wondering about the identity of the white-haired stranger traveling with Hoshidan royalty, his hands unbound but his back watched closely by an armed guard. His captors would have them all believe that he was one of them, a thought that caused his jaw to tighten and his hands to clench into fists.

"Is something wrong?" A carefully measured aggression seeped into Kagero's voice, almost more mocking than threatening.

Corrin knew that the ninja had every right to hate him, but he was at his wit's end with her. She was a master of controlling her tone and body language, managing to convey her absolute loathing of him without so much as one overt insult. It was enough to drive a man mad, yet he couldn't reasonably retaliate. Instead, he simply didn't respond, though he still felt it was a victory for her.

Shortly, they arrived at a long, symmetrical building with one floor, the main entrance marked by wide double doors. Corrin glanced at his escort.

"Lord Ryoma and Kaze are inside," she said. "Enter."

 _'Once more, where a simple nod would have sufficed, she has to open her condescending gods-damned mouth.'_

Nevertheless, the Nohrian prince did as he was bid and opened the door on the right. He had half a mind to slam it shut behind him, but thought better of it and allowed Kagero to follow him inside.

A guard with a katana hung from his waist waved them over. "His Highness is in the conference room, second door on the left."

Kagero offered the man a polite thank-you, and they continued to the room where the High Prince awaited. Two more armed guards stood at attention on either side of the door. Deciding he didn't want to hear another word from Kagero, Corrin turned the doorknob and pushed his way inside without looking at her for approval.

Ryoma, Hinoka, and Kaze stood just beyond the door, dressed casually and conversing in front of a large, circular conference table. No guards had accompanied them inside, but to Corrin's displeasure, Kagero let herself in before shutting the door. All eyes in the room turned to the newcomers.

"Ah, Lord Corrin!" Kaze welcomed, putting his arms against his sides and bowing deeply in the Hoshidan fashion. "I'm Kaze, if you don't remember. I'm thankful for the opportunity to speak with you again."

That wasn't what the Nohrian had expected to hear, given that the last time he'd seen Kaze, he'd almost killed him. "Er, myself as well," he fumbled. "You're recovering well, I hope?"

Kaze raised his head and relaxed. "I was beaten and burned in Krakenburg's dungeons, but they didn't do anything to me that can't heal."

The green-haired ninja's warm tone was seriously throwing Corrin off. "Erm, that's good."

"I should thank you for stalling my execution," Kaze continued.

Corrin scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, you really shouldn't. I was hesitant, yes, but had my brother not stepped in..."

"Had you not hesitated, Prince Leo wouldn't have had the chance, milord."

"I..." Corrin shook his head. "Look, I know why you're acting like this, and it's not worth it. I'm no Hoshidan, and you won't convince me otherwise. So please, don't try to make me feel welcome. Kagero gets the idea," he added, unable to help himself.

Kaze's gentle smile remained. "I thought you might say as much, milord, and I hope I can change your mind."

"But first," Ryoma interjected, "please have a seat."

Corrin sighed. "If you insist, Your Highness." He took the nearest seat, with Kaze just to his right and Ryoma beyond him. Hinoka and Kagero sat to his left.

"Now," Ryoma began. "As I've said, Kaze was with us in Cheve when our father was killed. He knows better than I do what happened that night."

"So you've said," Corrin muttered. "Well, Kaze, carry on."

"Certainly." Kaze cleared his throat. He put his hands together on the table, and the feeling in the air quickly turned dour. "I entered the city with milords and His Majesty, King Sumeragi. Of course, like milords, I was a child. I was only really there as a guest because my late father had been a close friend to the King. And because of the Kohga-Mokushu Conflict, no trained ninja could be spared. This wasn't seen as a problem because the negotiations were supposed to be peaceful."

Corrin listened with little interest to the ninja's words. He leaned back in his chair with his arms loosely folded and his head tilted a tad to one side.

"Kohga's daimyo chose to remain with his people, but the other kings and chieftains had all arrived before us: late Daimyo Hayabusa of Mokushu; Archduke Izana of Izumo; Chiefs Fuga, Nagi, and Kilma of the Wind, Fire, and Ice Tribes; King Anthony of Nestra; and the Governor of Cheve, Richard II of house Stoneroot. And, obviously, King Garon."

"Could we, please, speed up the history lesson?" Corrin insisted. "I know well the kingdoms and their leaders."

"Apologies, milord. As we made our way through the streets, I noticed an exchange between a Nohrian soldier and a Chevois knight. They were too far away for me to hear anything, and to the untrained eye it looked like a harmless exchange, but I knew I sensed some hostility in the way each man stood." Kaze's face twitched, and he coughed again. His skill at concealing his emotions didn't quite rival Kagero's, and it was clear that recounting the events in Cheve pained him greatly. "I saw similar exchanges across the city, but I was so sure that I was imagining things; that the feeling in my gut was merely the jittery nervousness of a child in a strange land. I...was wrong."

Behind Corrin, Hinoka grunted as if she wanted to say something. Perhaps she wished to offer a word of comfort for her troubled friend, but thought better of it and choked it back. With a start, Corrin realized that that simple, meaningless sound was the most convincing thing he'd heard to the Hoshidans' case. He knew from her tactless exasperation in their first meeting that Hinoka was either rather emotional, or a skilled actress; and she certainly hadn't had time to rehearse a reaction to Kaze's story. Despite this, the possibility that she was merely a skilled improviser still seemed much more likely than the idea that her absurd claims about him might be true.

Kaze continued after a momentary pause. "The Nohrian soldiers were relieving Chevois security. The whole thing was just a setup. Negotiations began on the topic of Kohga and Mokushu, and not thirty minutes later, an explosion occurred outside. Garon accused Daimyo Hayabusa of plotting to assassinate the other rulers, and in response, Mokushujin guards began attacking everyone else in the room." He noted Corrin's eyes narrow slightly. "I know, it seems ridiculous. But those guards, and some of the other Mokushujin, were actually working for the current daimyo, Kotaro. How much do you know about him?"

"He's a warrior," Corrin stated with a hint of curiosity. He was somewhat intrigued as to how Mokushu could possibly be dragged into all this. "He wishes to expand his territory, and issues challenges to those he deems unworthy to rule."

"Umm," Kaze mumbled. "To...some extent, I suppose. He's hardly an honorable man. At best, he's an upstart. He used the territorial dispute with Kohga to gain power, and made a deal with King Garon that would give him control of Mokushu. Of course, you know that Daimyo Hayabusa died in Cheve; but those who were present, including the tribes, have long maintained that he was killed either by Nohr or by his own ninja."

Corrin shrugged. "Okay, fine. Hayabusa _might_ have been set up. When am I somehow Sumeragi's child?"

"Step-child," Ryoma corrected. Corrin looked at him quizzically. "Your mother, Queen Mikoto, is my father's second wife, and my step-mother. You were born before their union."

Hinoka was quick to interject. "But you're no less my brother than Ryoma is," she asserted in her scratchy voice, placing a hand on Corrin's shoulder. He brushed it off roughly and immediately, but she was undeterred. "And, in any case, your lack of a blood relation to us has no meaning in the grand scheme of things."

Corrin stared at her with his mouth hanging open. "How the hell do you reckon that?!" he demanded. "You might have told me sooner!"

"Because you're still our brother!" the princess insisted.

"Blood bonds," Ryoma added, "have no bearing on the value of truth." Corrin gave him a harsh look, utterly unconvinced that there was any truth to the Hoshidans' claims. "Please allow Kaze to finish, and when you realize the veracity of his words, then you may decide what you think of your step-siblings."

"So why not tell me this sooner?" Corrin demanded.

"We never expected to meet you at the Canyon," Ryoma reminded him. "We had little time to piece together a proper explanation, and furthermore, the barrage of information caused you to be uncooperative. I apologize for letting such an important detail simply slip my mind."

"Guess I'm sorry for being _uncooperative_."

The High Prince appeared unfazed by the comment. "I never lied to you, Corrin—I never told you we shared a father. I only told you that Mikoto is your mother, and as Hinoka said, I truly do consider you as much my sibling as I do her. And, in any case, you _do_ have a blood sibling in Hoshido." Ryoma expected that bringing up Kamui now would have little impact on his step-brother, but it seemed no worse a time than any other.

"Ha! Do I, now?" Corrin mocked. "And of course _that_ detail just happened to slip your mind as well."

"I do not expect you to believe me."

"Really."

Ryoma sighed. At the least, he was glad Hinoka held her tongue. "In any case, it's something you needed to know."

"Of course." Corrin palmed his forehead. "Kaze, please finish this story so I can return to my wagon."

The ninja nodded. "As you wish, milord. After the fighting started, we fled into the streets. The Mokushujin attacked everyone indiscriminately, and most of our soldiers fought back against them alongside the tribesmen. There wasn't a single Chevois knight to be seen near the capitol, because they were engaged with the Nohrian forces." He awaited a response from Corrin, but the younger man didn't emote at all. "All reports confirm that Nohrians were fighting Chevois across the city. Were you ever told this during your studies?"

"I was told that Mokushujin attempted to assassinate the other leaders, and that once the fighting started, Nohr wound up against everyone but Nestra."

"Nothing more?"

"In the confusion, Father couldn't know for certain if Nohrians had acted as aggressors to soldiers of the other nations. But his orders were to secure an escape route for him, to the northwest."

"Well, our accounts differ greatly here. King Garon went east."

"No, he—!" Corrin snarled. He feigned a cough. "...he didn't."

"I'm sorry, milord, but I am only describing what I saw with my own eyes. A detachment of mounted Nohrian knights cut off our escape and killed Sumeragi's horse. The King was forced to make his last stand in the streets."

"How did you escape?" Corrin challenged.

"On horses, and when they died, on our hands and knees."

"Where in hell's name was I?"

Kaze grimaced. "His Majesty handed you to a samurai on horseback. His name was Kazahana, and he barely lasted a few seconds before a volley of arrows rained down on him. He clutched you as tightly as he could, even as he died."

There was a tear in the man's violet eye, but Corrin knew his sorrow mustn't be genuine. _'A ninja,'_ he assured himself, _'wouldn't become so emotional over an almost twenty-year-old tragedy.'_

"His Majesty was stuck in the middle of a wide road, surrounded by enemies. Someone said "Fire," and another torrent of arrows swept through the air. Ryoma and I were both pushed off our horses by their masters; his savior lived, while mine was mortally wounded and urged me to go on without him. I was nearly blinded by my tears. There was so much screaming, buildings were burning..." He coughed again. "We slipped into an alley too narrow for horses. I couldn't help but stop and look back, and I saw King Garon approaching Sumeragi with that accursed golden axe, Bolvërk, raised high. His Majesty was like a... pincushion. So many arrows found their mark in him, yet he clung still to life. And...gods..." Kaze's gaze fell to the floor, and he held his head in his hands. "He wasn't looking at Garon. He was looking at you, Corrin. You were bawling, but you were crawling out of Kazahana's grasp. You were alive. Sumeragi said, 'Please.' And then..." He dabbed at a tear running down his cheek. "Oh, damn it all," he muttered. "Then the axe fell. And he was gone."

Corrin sat stoic, but a chill ran down his spine at the finality of those words. Obviously, none of it was true, but...

 _'And he was gone. Just like that.'_

Ryoma spoke up to finish the tale. "The uninjured man we were with—his name was Noviri—wrenched Kaze away from the street and practically seethed at us, telling us to run as fast as we could away from Garon. I've never seen a man look so angry and desperate all at once. He guided us out of the city, where we were evacuated by sky knights. Our convoy had left as soon as news of battle had come, but we caught up to them and hurried on to the Bottomless Canyon with Izumo and the eastern tribes." He heaved a sigh, the latter part coming out strained with the threat of sobs following. "I can't begin to describe the pain I felt when I realized I had lost not just my father, but my step-brother as well."

Hinoka sniffled and wiped her face with the sleeve of her kimono. Corrin wanted to scoff at her, to insult her for a lackluster performance, to demand that his captors stop spewing lies and take him to see Azura, but he couldn't. To his disgust, he found that he was starting to believe some of what he was being told. There was too much emotion, too many details he'd been missing in the accounts he'd read of the Cheve Incident. The origin of the fighting, the deaths of Sumeragi and Hayabusa, and another hunch he was developing in his mind. This new idea pained him to even consider because it made far too much sense, but required everything else the Hoshidans had said to be true.

"Tell me, Kaze," Corrin requested. "Did you feel that this incident was, in any way, your fault?"

"With all my heart," he replied. "Ever since, I've blamed myself for Sumeragi's death, and for your kidnapping."

"And when you kidnapped my sister, you were looking..." Corrin hesitated, hanging on every word. "...for me?"

"I was, milord."

"It's why you got captured in Windmire, too," Corrin stated. "It was your first opportunity to return, and you wanted to find out where I was."

"All true, milord."

Hinoka stifled a gasp. "So...do you finally believe us, Brother?" She smiled tentatively, her tears not slowing as she transitioned from sadness to relief.

Corrin took a deep breath. He looked at his feet, then went over the rest of his body with his eyes. He was struck once more by how soft the kimono was, how pleasing the color, how it felt just perfect on him. He thought of the economic crisis in Nohr, and how much Garon had to gain by instigating war. He thought of the tears in his captors' eyes, the emotion in their breaking voices. He thought...

He thought they might be right. But he _knew_ that they were wrong.

"No," he said. A silent moment passed. "No, I don't believe you." He looked into Ryoma's eyes, mustering as much anger as he could. "Not a word." He pushed away from the table and rose to his feet. "Now take me to see my sister."

"Cor—" Hinoka squeaked pathetically, halted by Kagero's gentle hand on her shoulder. The princess muffled herself with her hand and began to sob.

Ryoma shook his head. "So be it," he sighed defeatedly. "Azura lives in Castle Shirasagi, as close a friend to our family as if she were one of us herself. As you wish, we will speed you to her side."

Corrin nodded. "Thank you, Your Highness," he said. "As much as this business has infuriated me, I must thank you for your almost absurdly pleasant treatment of me all this time."

"I could not have slept soundly if you felt otherwise." Ryoma gestured for Kagero to rise. "You may return to your carriage, if you like."

"I would." The Nohrian bowed briefly. "Milady," he added, addressing the hysterical princess. He walked casually out of the room, with his ninja shadow following close behind.

"I can't fucking take this," Hinoka lamented when her step-brother's footfalls no longer echoed through the building. "We finally get him back and all he wants is to return to that nightmare!"

"I'm sorry, milady," Kaze offered.

Ryoma shook his head. "Nonsense, Kaze. You spoke the truth. There is nothing else you could have done." He looked to his sister. "I was wrong to think that any Hoshidan could cleanse Corrin of this brainwashing."

"No shit," she spat.

He winced. "Nevertheless, I still believe wholeheartedly that Azura will convince him of the truth. He cannot possibly trust her word less than he does Garon's."

Hinoka stood from her chair. "I'm not so sure anymore," she admitted.

"I must ask you, Sister, to have patience just a little while longer."

She groaned and made her way out the door. Her heated face became pure red when she realized the attentive guards were still there, and she hurried away down the hall.

Kaze and Ryoma followed her path, dismissing the guards on their way out of the conference room.

"Should I have shown less emotion, milord?" the ninja asked.

"I don't think that made the difference," Ryoma answered. "He's in outright denial. Only someone he trusts completely can sway him."

"Will he trust Azura completely?"

Ryoma hummed. "I'm afraid I don't have an answer."

They exited the town hall and turned onto the road. The town was still bustling in the afternoon light, its streets and shops filled with upbeat villagers.

"I think he will," Kaze said.

"Hmph," Ryoma chuckled. "We shall see."

()

"Lord Xander," Laslow called, knocking on the door to the Crown Prince's carriage. "May I have a moment, milord?" He heard his master's footsteps nearing the door.

"Of course," Xander said. The doorknob turned and the wood moved, leaving the prince in its place. "Is this a private conversation?"

The moonlight shone off the myrmidon's silver hair. "It is, milord. May I enter?"

Xander stepped back from the doorway. "You may." Once Laslow was inside, he shut the door and attached the latch just above the doorknob. "What manner of conversation will this be?"

Laslow's trademark grin was plainly unsteadied by nervousness. "A suggestion, if I may, of some...perhaps significant consequence."

The prince folded his arms. "Well, you certainly have my attention, Laslow. I think I'd like to hear your suggestion."

"It, ah, regards milord Corrin." Xander's mouth tightened, but he made no effort to silence his retainer. "Since Hoshido now possesses both Corrin and milady Azura, it seems—to me at least—that His Excellency is out of bargaining chips, so to speak. That, ah..." Laslow tried to ignore his neck itching with sweat. "If I have the authority to say such."

Xander shrugged. "I invited you to provide a suggestion. I would expect you to do so, and justify it well. Proceed, please."

Laslow nodded and cleared his throat. "As you wish. So, since she's in a better spot now, I think Mikoto will try to call a peace treaty. One last meeting to return Lady Azura and absolve the world of our current conflict. Provided she does, my suggestion is one for you—milord willing, of course—to pass on to His Excellency." He paused again, despite Xander's assurance that he wouldn't interrupt. Making suggestions to the Crown Prince was something Laslow was no stranger to, but making suggestions to King Garon was often a dangerous undertaking. "If at all possible, Mikoto would rather meet in person. After holding proxy negotiations for so many years, such a gesture would be seen by all as a guarantee of lasting peace; or, at least, that seems to align with her outspoken political philosophies."

"You mean for Father to personally meet with Queen Mikoto, and exchange a declaration of peace for Azura?"

Laslow swallowed, but maintained his smile and nodded. "Exactly that, milord."

"No."

The myrmidon's grin disappeared at once. "Milord—"

Xander raised a hand to silence him. "I have already considered this option, Laslow. Father will never accept such terms."

"But the princess!" Laslow sputtered clumsily.

"I know, Laslow. But Nohr cannot hope to survive without food, and the only fertile lands available are those claimed by Hoshido."

"Milord—"

"Please, let me finish."

Laslow coughed. "Erm, yes, milord."

The prince sighed. "Do not be mistaken: even now, Father is furious that Azura is held captive in Hoshido. But he knows that she has not been treated harshly by the crown. He will not sacrifice his people—his entire nation—for what is sure to be only a momentary peace, even if it would bring about her return as well."

Laslow took a few seconds to be certain he understood his liege's words. "It's war, then," he murmured. "No two ways about it."

"I'm afraid so," Xander replied solemnly.

Laslow leaned one arm against the wall and held his head. "Milord... Gods, pardon my saying so, but you must realize this will spell disaster for hundreds of thousands of people. Maybe millions. The entire continent would be devastated."

"Yes." Xander took a shaky breath. "But Nohr and its hundreds of thousands might survive. The only alternative is starvation."

"I would excuse myself, milord." Laslow was quite done with this conversation. His gut felt thoroughly sick, and his head light.

"You may," Xander said.

With no further comment, the retainer made his way out the door. The moment it clicked shut behind him, he started briskly toward his own wagon.

"Where you going, Twinkle Toes?" a male voice called after him.

"My wagon, Niles," Laslow said.

The archer wore a simple commoner's outfit consisting of a white and brown shirt, striped black pants, long brown boots, and a blue hood. His right eye socket was covered by a black eyepatch with a striking golden X across it. His messy white hair tumbled down his neck and stopped at the base.

"Why the rush?" Niles asked.

Laslow hesitated a moment. "I've had an...uncomfortable conversation with Prince Xander." To his displeasure, Leo's retainer matched his pace.

"What, he try to come on to ya?"

"Wha—?!" Laslow exclaimed. His face flushed. "I'm really not in the mood for your teasing, Niles."

"But I'm right, aren't I?"

"Of course not!"

Niles smirked. "I know that, you ditz. And slow down, for gods' sakes!" He put a palm on Laslow's chest, forcing him to slow his steps. "Jeez, man. You gonna tell me what's got you so riled up?"

Laslow brushed him off roughly, but continued at a reduced pace. "I want to tell the other retainers what I've learned."

"Ding ding! That would be me." Niles put a finger to his chin, pretending to be deep in thought. "Hmm, unless you're on your way to see my good pal Odin and his redhead lady friend. They're not in your wagon, 'cause they're in his bed."

"Please," Laslow pleaded. "For one gods-damned second, can you shut your lecherous mouth?"

"What? It's the truth. And by the way, I'd appreciate it if you told them not to do it in my room. The stench of sex makes me antsy."

"Will you—!" Laslow coughed and lowered his voice to a hard whisper. "—shut the hell up?!"

That got Niles to crack up. "Oh my gods, your face!" He patted Laslow roughly on the back. "You are red as a goddamn tomato, buddy."

"Go away!"

Niles threw up his hands, still cackling wildly. "Alright, alright! I'm gone! Hoo, boy." He turned his back and waved. "Don't have too much fun! Oh!" He turned around. "And I still wanna know what it is you're talking about!"

"Odin will tell you," Laslow said dismissively. He reached his wagon and knocked twice, but Arthur evidently was elsewhere. It was just as well; he didn't really want to speak with Lady Elise's eccentric retainer at the moment. Seeing as the hour was late, and his friends were apparently...occupied, he decided to get some sleep and inform them of Xander's plans in the morning.


	11. Homecoming

**A/N: I'd been referring to the Hoshidan capital as Suzanoh for a while. In all instances, the Hoshidan capital is now called Shirasagi Castle Town or just Shirasagi, in-line with the games. Additionally, some aspects of Castle Shirasagi's design in chapter 10 have been altered as of this update.**

 **I also made an addition to chapter 10, in which Ryoma now tells Corrin that he has a twin sister, which Corrin offhandedly dismisses.**

* * *

 _November, 2013 AD_

"Please tell me this is some kind of twisted joke," Takumi pleaded, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What? Not at all," Kamui replied defensively.

"Kamui, he was captured in _battle_ , and your first idea is to throw him a gods-damned party?"

"It's not my first idea," she retorted. "But what if Kaze wasn't able to convince him?"

"You think Kaze screwed it up somehow?"

"I–!"

Takumi held up his hand to silence her, offering a frustrated look in lieu of an uncharacteristic apology. "No, you don't have to answer that. Just...why the hell couldn't Azura tell him?"

Kamui shook her head, unable to mask a hint of a scowl. " _If_ he doesn't believe Kaze, then I think Azura might just upset him further. Think about it this way. If we keep a kind of gradual progression, from Ryoma to Kaze to Azura, he might just keep denying it, until he hits a point where he'll never accept it. But if we shock him this way, we have a much better chance of making him believe us."

He stared at her in total disbelief. "You're seriously going to give Mother two nights to plan an entire festival."

"It doesn't have to be extravagant. Just a gathering in the marketplace. Lots of people, a few decorations. Flower petals in the air to really make it overwhelming."

"You're trying to give him a heart attack?"

" _That_ , I'm not even going to respond to."

"It's a weird plan," he maintained.

"It's a lower risk for the same reward, Takumi." The redhead sighed and gave a small smile, which put Takumi on edge. It seemed innocent, but held a tinge of mischief that meant his sister knew she was about to win the argument. "I know it's weird. Do it for Mother?"

"Oh, come on," he complained defeatedly. It wasn't as though he'd expected anything different. _Do it for Mother_ was a regular fallback for Kamui when she thought he needed an extra push to agree with her. So far, it had never failed her, and she'd started throwing the phrase around with little care in recent years. "Don't try to guilt me here. I'll go along with you on this. But don't think I'll be chatting him up when he gets here."

She smiled. "Thank you. Now, let's talk to Mother. You're right to say we don't have much time."

()

As he stood in the open doorway of his wagon and watched the Great Wall of Suzanoh shrink in the distance, Corrin decided that he might as well have slept through the caravan's passage under the structure. At twelve meters, it rose just two taller than Windmire's outer wall, with simple signal towers and a few command centers scattered at distant intervals. But the truly impressive, utterly staggering feat of the builders was the Great Wall's length. Stretching on for hundreds of kilometers, it created a semicircle around the densely populated region of Eastern Hoshido that found no end until reaching the east coast of the continent. The huge foothills that dominated the eastern fringe of the Great Plains failed to interrupt the titanic fortification, and its height remained uniform as far as the eye could see. Its endpoints, which extended some way into the waters to prevent invaders wading around, were located far northeast and southeast, respectively, from the capital city of Shirasagi.

Yet compared to Nohrian engineering, which could leave the enormous Castle Krakenburg seemingly suspended a hundred meters in the air, the Wall's conceptually simple architecture was utterly unimpressive.

Nevertheless, the sight of the landmark slowly disappearing from sight was somewhat satisfying, in an odd way. He was still moving ever farther from home, but he was finally, truly on his way to a reunion with Azura. Each of his siblings would have given anything to see their sister again, and he resolved to convey their love as best he could. He wondered if she still wore her cerulean hair so long it fell past her waist, or if she had continued to dance and sing as delightfully has she had in the halls of Krakenburg. Of course, he realized, she was shy of nine years old then, and she very well might not even resemble the girl she once was. At the least, Corrin was confident that whatever manner of nonsense Mikoto might have told her about King Garon, the Hoshidan queen would not have authorized any manner of legitimate physical or psychological abuse to befall her—after the unforgivable act of kidnapping her in the first place, anyway. He'd been captured in the heat of battle, yet despite his complete rejection of the Hoshidans' baffling indoctrination attempt, they continued to treat him with abundant hospitality.

His heart ached for his siblings across the Canyon, who he figured must be making the journey back to Windmire in solemn silence, broken only by the tears of his sisters. They must have known he was alive, but he'd been in a sorry state when he was seized. Camilla would no doubt be distraught over the worst-case scenario, her head filled with images of her brother groaning in agony as he lay broken in a cage, not knowing how much time had passed or where he was being taken.

Corrin shook his head, wishing to remove that scene from his own mind. It reminded him of the way Kaze had looked in Castle Krakenburg—beaten bloody, his clothes torn to rags, and his flesh cut and burned all over.

"Enough," he grumbled to himself as he jerked the door shut, but it was too late to halt the traitorous thoughts that had plagued his mind since Kamiki Village. He laid down on his bedroll and tried to focus on anything else, but for all their accommodations, the Hoshidans had provided little in the way of entertainment. _'Well, that's not entirely true,'_ he admitted, managing to distract himself for a moment. Hinoka had been all too eager to invite him to play one of several board games he was unfamiliar with, as well as good old Nohrian chess. He had firmly refused, stating that it wasn't dignified to play games with his captors. No Nohrian would ever make such an offer to an enemy.

He made an annoyed growling sound as the thoughts returned. The memory of Kaze, tortured on King Garon's orders and sent to his execution. It seemed absurd for Corrin to even consider himself in a similar state.

 _'If I were a Hoshidan...'_ He tried to stop himself, to will himself to think of anything else, or nothing at all, but...

 _'...captured by Nohr...'_

"Stop!"

 _'...I wouldn't have been healed, or fed, or...'_

"Or nothing!" he snapped, but he knew it was a losing battle. Kaze's beaten body morphed and disappeared entirely, and the foyer of Castle Krakenburg became the black rocks of the Bottomless Canyon. The forms of those Corrin had killed materialized, as they had throughout every period of solitude he'd been granted since the battle. The blood was still so vivid, spurting from slit throats like water from a broken pump. The echoes of their mangled screams still pained his ears. He saw the samurai who fell into the abyss, his brains dashed out on the cold stone; the sky knight Hans had slain clutched her neck, her face slick with tears; the man Corrin had pinned down and beaten to a gory mess still sputtered for breath even as his windpipe filled with blood and teeth.

"...Please," Corrin whispered, choking back a sob. "Make it stop. Please..."

The barrage of horrific images never stopped. As long as he was alone—as long as he _kept_ himself alone—the nightmares were omnipresent. As the evening dragged on into night, he knew the vengeful spirits would once more torment him until his consciousness eventually gave out sometime just before dawn.

()

With another day past, the outer wall of Shirasagi proper was clearly visible in the orange light of sunrise, a mere few kilometers across expansive farmlands from the military outpost where the Hoshidan convoy had made their final camp. Prince Ryoma had risen early, as he always did, and was surprised to see a pegasus messenger off in the sky, flying toward them directly above the arrow-straight dirt road leading to the capital. With a tinge of intrigue, the prince walked to the stable, a spacious structure far below capacity housing eight pegasi and two horses. He was the first to greet the messenger when his mount touched down.

"Your Highness," the man said with an elegant bow. His red hair fell in long wisps around his visage, and his pony tail reached to his shoulders.

"Subaki. A welcome surprise," Ryoma greeted. While Sakura's other retainer, Hana, had accompanied her to the Flame Tribe's domain, Subaki had been assigned to a sky knight squadron that had surveyed the seas beyond Izumo and Mokushu, Hoshido's southern neighbors. The team was based out of Fort Shirogane, a distant outpost outside Hoshido's national border that was situated tightly between the Canyon to the west, the ocean to the south, and Mokushu to the east. Ryoma figured they must have returned within the past couple of days. "How fared your mission?"

"Well. Which is to say, uneventful, milord." Subaki dismounted and pet his pegasus' head, taking her by the reigns. "No Nohrian ships to speak of. A few knights stayed at Fort Shirogane. They'll accompany the detachment sailing to Notre Sagesse."

Ryoma nodded. "Excellent. Anything to report?"

They entered the stable, and the stable boy wordlessly took the reins from Subaki.

"Murmurings, Your Highness. The soldiers at Shirogane are concerned about Mokushujin aggression. The daimyo's been having his archers fire warning shots at sky knights within our operational borders. Consequently, we no longer have insight on their actions in the western forests. Izumo's scouts have had a similar experience."

Ryoma frowned. "And to the west?"

"No movement near the canyon. It's all jagged cliffs and white water anyhow, and I think it's unlikely they'd send any of their royals to try and clear a path with a dragon vein."

The prince folded his arms. "You're probably right. I'll discuss Mokushu with my family in the capital. But you've more to say, I'm sure, or you'd have waited there."

"Indeed. I've news from Her Grace the Queen, something that everybody in your company ought to hear. Well, perhaps with the exception of Prince Corrin." He paused for a response. Ryoma's face showed mild surprise, and he nodded for Subaki to continue. "Have you convinced him of his heritage?"

"I'm afraid not. What did my mother say?"

The knight grinned. "She's planning a party."

()

"Lord Corrin," Kagero called. "We're entering Shirasagi. Lord Ryoma has requested you join him and Lady Hinoka at the head of the convoy."

"Damn it," Corrin muttered. He'd been wondering why they had stopped. _'Was it really too much to ask, to suffer the last leg of my ride to imprisonment in dignified solitude?'_ He raised his voice. "Very well. I'll come." He walked to the door and stepped out into the midday sun. Despite a clear sky, the air was almost uncomfortably cool, a sure sign that winter was on the way. He hopped down, nodding dismissively to the ninja as he started toward the Hoshidan capital. The view was similar to what one saw entering Windmire, albeit somewhat brighter. The gray clouds that so often hung lazily over western Nohr were completely absent, bathing the wall in a pleasant light. Intimidating ballistae dotted the top of the wall, interspersed with the magical violet turrets simply called fire orbs. Soldiers on the wall saluted the royal convoy, crossing their right fist over their hearts.

"Does this wall have a name?" Corrin asked, genuinely curious.

"Of course," Kagero informed him. "This structure is the Champion's Gate, built at the close of the last age. Were your studies lacking in Hoshidan history?"

"Not at all," he insisted, a bit annoyed. "Why should I need to know the name of an unremarkable wall?"

"It's odd to hear a prince dub the defenses of his enemy's capital 'unremarkable'."

Unsurprisingly, Corrin regretted starting the conversation. At this point, merely hearing Kagero's voice was enough to sour his mood. "Alright," he said. Thankfully, she didn't try to add anything more.

The royal siblings and Kaze each sat astride a mount, Kaze and Ryoma on golden stallions and Hinoka on her white falicorn. When the Crown Prince saw them approaching, he cupped his hands in front of his mouth and bellowed, "Resume march!" He gestured to a rider-less brown horse next to them, its bridle held by a stable boy. "Get on, Corrin."

The Nohrian climbed atop the beast unceremoniously, letting the stable boy dismiss himself. "Pardon me your Highnesses, but are you playing at something?" Corrin questioned. "Why parade me through the city like a homecoming hero?"

"Because you _are_ , Corrin," Hinoka insisted.

"Hinoka, please," Ryoma scolded.

The "homecoming hero" rolled his eyes. He had half a mind to lash out at them, but decided against it. Apparently, no matter how many times he adamantly denied their claims and scoffed at their company, and even as they arrived at the proof of their folly, the Hoshidans would not give up trying to indoctrinate him. He figured he should save his breath, at least until he'd reunited with his sister.

"Shirasagi is a place of unparalleled beauty," Kaze remarked. "The buildings and trees are vibrant in equal measure, and the streets are ever lively with the most uniformly jubilant people in the world."

 _'And the most uniformly spoiled rotten,'_ Corrin supposed. Again, he said nothing.

Their horses stepped lazily to the open gate, around which stood a company of saluting guards. The structure was barely wide enough for a single carriage to pass through, and hardly any taller than one, but widened as it went on until there was easily enough space for three wagons with another trio stacked on top of them. Corrin noted that if attackers were to breach the gates, they would be funneled directly into the grasp of a sizable retaliating force.

A few moments later and the faint torchlight was replaced once more by the bright midday sun. From the mouth of the passage, a road of brilliant white cobble danced away into town, joining with a number of winding streets. The Hoshidan capital looked like something out of a fairy tale, even more so than the endless green of the countryside or the towering might of the Great Wall. In some places, tall buildings were packed as tightly as in Windmire or Cyrkensia, but for the most part the houses and shops had noticeably more space between them, so grim alleys were replaced by pleasant walkways dotted with plants, benches, and artwork. Sculptures of Hoshidan rulers and folk heroes cast in marble looked down with a mix of warm and dignified expressions at the merry populace crowding the city. Corrin thought he might go blind as his eyes hopped from one bright white surface to the next.

"It's really him!"

A soldier's shout alarmed Corrin, but he quickly realized the exclamation had been made in happiness—almost jubilation, in fact.

"Prince Corrin truly has returned!"

"All hail the returned Prince of Hoshido!"

Corrin looked blankly at the gathering crowd for a time, then glared at Ryoma. "Your Highness, what is the meaning of this?!" he demanded.

Ryoma chuckled. "The people are elated to see their kidnapped prince return to his kingdom."

"Gah! Will there be no end to this fu—uh, erm... _accursed_ charade?" Corrin groaned. "Why must you continue—"

"Because you haven't yet accepted the truth," Ryoma interrupted. "Forget about us. Look to them, and you will understand."

Corrin's response was cut off by a soldier with graying hair calling, "Milord Corrin!" The man lowered his naginata and bowed deeply to the scowling albino. "I was with His Late Majesty, King Sumeragi, on the night you were taken. Nothing could ever again bring me the happiness I feel seeing you home at last, milord."

"...Indeed," Corrin said dismissively, narrowing his eyes and turning away from the stranger. Wherever his gaze fell, he was met with a swelling audience of soldiers cheering his arrival. Behind them, he realized, peasants had begun to take notice and were now approaching in droves, many breaking into an outright run. Even with guards attempting to clear the way, their horses could barely move in the sea of people. To his dismay, Corrin passed seamlessly from unease to panic. So many had come so quickly, blocking both his route to the palace and any hypothetical escape route he'd had behind him. And every voice that rang out above the din delivered the same cruel message.

"Milord Corrin!" one woman called.

"I knew he couldn't be dead!" another boasted.

"Praise be to the Dawn Dragon!" yelled an old man.

And everywhere, cries of, "Corrin!" and "Milord Corrin!" and "The prince has returned!" and...and...

Corrin was dizzy. He could no longer focus on individual faces in the masses, and he leaned his hands on the saddle in front of him. "How...?" he muttered. _'How could so many people be so convinced?'_ His mind raced, grappling with the reality before him. He'd never once felt claustrophobic within the warm, safe confines of the Northern Fortress, yet now the bright, open Hoshidan capital threatened him with total suffocation. So many voices filled the air that he thought there might be none left for him to breathe. _'They're all lying. Every last one, a fraud. A faker. It's not true, it can't be... Or the royal family lied to them.'_ He tried to steady his breathing, with little success. He gripped the saddle more tightly, fearful that his hands would start shaking uncontrollably if he didn't. _'Yes, surely. But...no, it isn't possible.'_ With one hand he gingerly held his forehead, aching with nausea and slick with sweat. _'For this kind of celebration, they would have needed to know long ago. Although...'_ He had started mumbling aloud, and coughed to mask it. _'It can't be. I'd have been informed of this. Our spies surely couldn't have missed such a phenomenon. But...'_

"But it isn't true," he whispered.

"Um, hiya, Mister..." a child's voice caught his attention amidst the cacophony of deceit. A very young girl had approached his horse, with both of her parents standing centimeters behind her with encouraging smiles. "Um, I mean, milord Corrin!" She held something out in front of her with both hands. "I, um, I made this for you, milord."

Corrin was making a conscious effort not to vomit on her, but he managed to gently take the object he'd been offered. He kicked himself for the awful blank expression he knew he wore, but found he could hardly feel his face anyway. _'Can't do much about that,'_ he thought sardonically.

"It's you, milord!" The girl tittered, clearly nervous but quite pleased with herself.

Corrin eyed the thing in his hands. A doll, he realized. True to her word, the simple, stuffed cloth figure did vaguely resemble him. The craftsmanship was innocently sloppy, with the eyes at different heights and a mouth on its chin, but the red eyes, pointed ears, and white hair were unmistakably his.

"Do you like it, milord?"

The sound that escaped his mouth was caught somewhere between "uh" and "erm," and didn't in the slightest resemble actual language. He stammered and tried to reply properly, but the words twisted in his throat and threatened to choke him until he gave up. With an embarrassingly loud cough, he made another attempt at clearing his thoughts enough to form a single sentence. "It...'s very, nice," he managed gracelessly, barely looking at her. She looked confused, having not understood his unintelligible gibberish, but her parents politely offered their thanks to Corrin for accepting the gift and led their daughter back through the crowd.

A dark spot appeared on the doll. "Shit," Corrin muttered, quickly wiping his cheek before another tear could fall. He hadn't even noticed through his now-throbbing headache that his eyes were watering. Having been thrust back into reality, he saw that despite their slow progress, he and the royals were now well into the city. Pink cherry tree petals floated on the air in numbers that couldn't be natural, and he figured they were being scattered from the rooftops. Whether it was Hoshidan tradition or something made up just to baffle him, he had no idea.

He summoned what dignity he had left and turned to the High Prince. "Your Highness," he called. Ryoma looked back at him with a smile, which Corrin had half a mind to punch. "I'm afraid I'm feeling rather ill. May I ask that we make some haste?"

"Try to relax, Corrin," Ryoma responded. "You'll see Azura within the hour."

 _'Hour. He said...oh, damn.'_

"Are you feeling alright, Corrin?" Hinoka asked. Her winged mount had trotted up alongside his, and she was now within a meter of him.

"No, Princess."

"That little girl was so cute." The redhead leaned toward him, inspecting the doll he still held. "Her faces could use some work," she remarked with a chuckle.

"When did you tell your people I was Hoshidan?" Corrin demanded. The effort of speaking brought bile to his throat, but he shuddered and swallowed it down. "When you captured me? A mere few weeks or years ago? Or was it closer to my birth?"

Hinoka's grin faded, and she shook her head. "Corrin, you want me to tell you things that aren't true. I know it's hard—"

"Shut up," he spat. He winced at the pain in his head. The doll was waved in his face, and he realized he'd dropped it. He took it back from the guard and gripped it tightly. "You...You don't know anything about me."

"More than you think," she muttered glumly. She didn't try to press him further, but her presence continued to infuriate him all the same.

The wide street they were on opened up into a circular plaza at the heart of the marketplace. A towering marble statue of Hoshido's guardian deity, the Dawn Dragon, rose fifteen meters from a round pedestal in the center of the plaza. It sat with its tail curled about itself and its colossal, bat-like wings held close to its body, yet it looked prepared to leap from its comparatively small perch at a moment's notice and take to the skies. In each of the four intermediate compass directions, sculptures of guardian beasts and sacred symbols most Nohrians wouldn't recognize rose uniformly to one-third of the dragon's height. Their organic shapes crafted abstract forms that, had Corrin been well enough to properly observe them, he would have found fascinatingly alien.

Corrin felt himself wither under the harsh gaze of the Dawn Dragon. It seemed to be glaring at him, daring him to stand before it and face the punishment a Prince of Nohr deserved for infiltrating the Hoshidan capital. Of course, he tried to remind himself, he'd been _brought_ here, but his rationality had been lost to feverish delusion. He lowered his head and shut his eyes, trying to block out the scene, but the calls of the people rang so loud in his ears that he winced and opened his mouth in a silent whimper. This jolt served to remind him of his headache, which pulsed with searing heat across his scalp, and through his entire body.

He became distantly aware that someone had caught his arm. They pulled on him until he was upright—he had fallen sideways. He glanced at Hinoka, the one who had caught him, and thought he saw her mouth say, "Are you okay?" He couldn't see her face very clearly, couldn't see much of anything...

"Ryoma!" the princess yelled over the roar. "It's too much!"

Ryoma was already on his way over, a pair of guards forcing people aside to make way for the High Prince's horse. He leaned in close to Corrin, removing a leather canteen from his saddle and twisting the cap. "Corrin, can you hear me?" he asked loudly.

"...Can hear all of you," Corrin muttered. He felt the pouch being pressed into his hands and grasped it, slowly raising it to his face. It wasn't until he saw the uncapped spout that he realized what the object actually was.

"Splash some on your face, if you need to," Ryoma suggested. He watched as Corrin struggled to control his rapid, shallow breathing long enough to swallow the water. When he finally took a hesitant sip, he looked noticeably better for it. "Will you be alright?"

"I'm fine," Corrin said shakily. To prove it, he drank deeply from the canteen. As he caught his breath, he poured a little out in his hand and wiped his face from forehead to chin. A pink petal fell from where it had apparently perched in his hair, coming to rest on his horse's head. He offered the canteen back to Ryoma, who was saying something to one of the guards. "Thank you."

"Keep it for now," the Hoshidan instructed. "We're almost to Castle Shirasagi."

"Will all the cheering and screaming stop when we get there?"

"It will be much calmer in the castle," Hinoka assured him. She smiled. "Though I can't promise Mother won't scream."

"We can speed things along once we're through the marketplace," Ryoma added.

Corrin was about to thank him again, but found the sense to stop himself. In his stupor, aside from apparently forgetting how to breathe, he'd forgotten that he was still trying to act stoic and dignified. He held himself rigidly upright, maintaining a neutral expression stretched thin by the aching in his skull. He was drenched in sweat despite the cool air, and he was certain he looked the textbook example of "illness."

Thankfully, Ryoma kept his word, and the procession adopted a faster pace once they exited the plaza. Eventually, the crowd began to thin somewhat as they neared the outskirts of the marketplace, and the horses were brought to a trot. They changed roads only once before reaching the outer gates of Castle Shirasagi, just northeast of the city's center.

Within the thin wall, a great square lawn sprawled out before them. The short, well-kept grass was frequently broken up by numerous cherry blossom trees, in full bloom with striking pink petals, and several little ponds filled with colorful fish. Corrin recalled Lilith saying once that wealthy Hoshidans kept fish as a kind of decorative pet, but he couldn't remember what she'd called them.

 _'Gods, Lilith,'_ he thought. How long ago had that conversation been? They were young, then. Jakob hadn't yet arrived at the Northern Fortress, and Xander hadn't had to give his brother the awkward "changing body" lecture. Lilith had been reading up on Hoshidan culture when she was done with her work, even though Mistress Daniela scoffed at her and told her a maid should never be without a job to do. She'd always be so eager to share everything she learned with him. The memories were almost enough to bring a smile to his face.

Now, Lilith was a gods-damned dragon, and that revelation was just barely the strangest thing Corrin had experienced since his departure from Castle Krakenburg. Hans' betrayal and the Hoshidan royals' conspiracy left him almost as baffled. Resentfully, he decided his reality had become stranger than the fairy tales Camilla used to tell in his childhood.

The horses stopped at the steps leading up to the stone, violet-painted double doors of the palace. The building faced southwest, and was neatly symmetrical and absolutely massive. Its face sprawled out until only a few meters remained on either side between it and the walls. As it rose high into the sky it narrowed significantly, such that the last few floors were only twenty or so meters across. The sides of the palace were colored white and crimson, while the roofing was a mild green. Four wooden gates, painted red and gold, stood over the short set of lightly sloping stairs—torii, if Corrin's memory was correct.

He saw that the royals and Kaze were dismounting, and realized he ought to do the same. His leg felt heavy as he tried to bring it up over his mount's back, and shortly, he was panting with the effort.

"If you are ill, milord, I can help you down," Kaze offered.

"I'm fine," Corrin said hastily, his voice low and shaky. He cleared his throat and steadied himself. "I'm fine," he repeated. Finally, he was able to get both his legs on the same side of the beast, and slid down with what little grace he could manage. He turned to face the stairs, looking up at the imposing castle before him. The heart of all Hoshido. The heart of the enemy.

"Corrin?" Hinoka said gently. He looked at her. "I have the doll." She held up the gift he'd received from the little girl, clutched lightly in her hand. "I can hold onto it for now."

He hadn't realized he dropped it again. Truth be told, he wished he'd cast it away. The effigy of himself spoke louder than any Hoshidan, with the grating voice of his own subconscious. "Prince of Hoshido," it said, over and over, more insistent the longer he stared at it. He gave the princess a curt nod and returned his gaze to the palace. Several seconds later, he hadn't moved a muscle.

All he wanted at this point was to say, "Shall we enter?" and get the whole damn thing over with, but the words fell apart in his throat and his sandals had apparently fused with the ground. He threw his effort behind the simple phrase to no avail, then focused on taking a single step forward and still found himself rooted.

"Are you ready to enter, Corrin?" Ryoma asked.

The question snapped Corrin back to his senses, and he wondered shamefully how long he'd been standing there, stone-still and stone-silent. "Yes," he managed. He tentatively stepped onto the first stair. Azura appeared in his mind, encouraging him to proceed. Her face was blurred, as were her clothes; her eyes were perhaps brown, or green? He couldn't even remember the sound of her voice. He hoped captivity had not stopped her from singing, that she might remind him of the beautiful melodies she had produced even as a child. Perhaps she still danced, too, her wavy, sky blue hair swinging about her waist as she swayed and spun to sweet, meandering music only she could hear.

She was just inside. Armed with that knowledge, Corrin strode past the top stair to the door. Two guards grasped handles on its surface, evidently instructed to make quite a show of things. In unison, they called out, "Ready," and pulled with dignified strength. Through the widening gap between the doors, Corrin could see four more soldiers, two on each side, pushing firmly to keep the movement of the stone as smooth and graceful as possible. The Hoshidans' apparent love of spectacle no longer amused Corrin, and he turned his body sideways to squeeze through the portal as soon as it became wide enough. One soldier on the door glanced his way, but the rest continued to mind their task.

Corrin's jaw dropped. His mind blanked completely, and he didn't know whether he ought to laugh or cry. His body chose to do both.

Standing directly in front of him, in the center of a grand foyer, was his sister. His _real_ sister. Princess Azura of Nohr.

It couldn't have been anybody else. Cerulean hair flowing over her white and gold kimono to her hips. Gentle eyes of light hazel. A fair complexion befitting Nohrian royalty, and the poise and posture of a refined lady. Her dainty hands were clasped politely in front of her petite figure, her head straight and her expression joyful. A golden pendant, fashioned after a flower and inset with a small teardrop-shaped sapphire, hung low from her neck and rested just below her chest. Corrin remembered that pendant. It had been a gift from their mother, Arete, before she passed away; and it was Azura's greatest treasure.

"Corrin," she said softly, taking a cautious couple of steps toward him. With but a single word, her voice was soothing and poetic, as if she intended to mend alike the physical and mental wounds Hoshido had inflicted on him.

Moving slowly but with far less tact, he closed the distance between them and put his arms around her, clumsily feeling around her shoulders and back just to prove she was real. "Azura!" he sobbed. He laughed once, then choked up again. "It's..." He sniffled and gasped. Her hair smelled like...lavender, he noticed, and it reminded him of Camilla. Of home. Of their family. "It's really you!"

She did not shy away from his touch, though she also didn't clutch him so tightly. "It's really me," she said, giving both of them a chuckle. "Gods. It's been, perhaps, thirteen years now? I'm so happy to see you!"

He said nothing in response, instead continuing to hold her close as he smiled and bawled. He knew that the Hoshidan royals must be watching, and he didn't really care. For the first time since he looked out over the Bottomless Canyon, he felt safe. Sane. Whole.

"They threw me a gods-damned party," he joked, his voice still hoarse.

"As well they should," she tittered. She looked past him at Ryoma, Hinoka, and Kaze, all watching with crestfallen looks of disappointment. Her own face fell, and she drew back gradually. She looked into his red eyes, deciding how she should phrase what she needed to say.

"Um," he hummed through his tears. Still he wore a hopeful smile. "What's wrong?"

"Corrin...do you still believe..." She stumbled over the words, anticipating the pain she would cause him in the next few seconds. "...that we..." He shook, and his arms left her. They hovered in the air around her as they lowered to his sides. His breaths became deeper, more urgent. "Corrin, I'm not...your sister."

"No," he mouthed inaudibly. He took another breath, panting now. "No." His foot slid back across the tile, away from her. "No."

"Kaze told you—"

"It doesn't _matter_ what Kaze told me," he said. "It isn't true. How could it be true?!"

"Please..."

"I refuse to believe it!"

"Easy, Corrin," Ryoma warned, taking a step toward them.

Corrin whipped around. "Stay back, you dastard!"

"Prince Corrin, if I may," Kaze said.

The young man's gaze bore harshly into him. "What?"

"I believe milady Azura has something more to say, if you'll listen."

"What the hell are you getting on about?" Corrin faced Azura again. His face showed anger, and the pain of betrayal, but Azura sensed something else in his tense stance and tight lips. Fear. "By the fucking gods, what else is there to say?"

She coughed. "I think...if you're willing, you should come speak with Queen Mikoto." She considered naming the others who would be present in the throne room, but felt she shouldn't.

Corrin caught himself before he snapped at her. He took a deep breath and tried to quell his rage. Surely, she'd been put up to this trickery by the Queen—perhaps over a lifetime of brainwashing, perhaps by a recent threat to her or himself, or someone dear to her. In any case, he knew he couldn't blame her for any of it. "Alright," he said. Nobody moved, and an awkward silence pervaded the hall. With the door shut, the air fell hot and heavy over Corrin's face and body. After a moment, he added, "I shall try to watch my tongue with Her Majesty."

Ryoma nodded. "I shall thank you for it." He took the lead, walking past Corrin and Azura into the palace. The others fell into step behind him.

Azura slowed her pace to match Hinoka, and they started to whisper just out of Corrin's earshot. They sounded worried, presumably about his unwillingness to buy into their elaborate ruse. He'd hoped they would drop the act when he was finally able to meet Azura; but then again, he'd adamantly denied their claims at the Canyon, in Kamiki, and at the gates of Shirasagi, and each time they appeared to try harder to make him believe them.

 _'Perhaps their goal is no more than to provoke me,'_ he mused. Perhaps it was possible that all they wanted was for him to act violently toward their royal family. If a prince of Nohr were to behave so inappropriately, it could significantly weaken Nohrians' already fragile trust in King Garon. After all, Hoshido now held two members of Nohr's royal family, and Garon had long since run out of bargaining chips.

A knot formed in his stomach. The utterly bizarre actions of his captors were now potentially as worrying as they were infuriating. If they continued to sew discord in Nohr at its most vulnerable, pitiful moment, his homeland might very well be doomed.

Ryoma led them to the right side of the foyer, through a set of sliding doors fashioned from birch. In the center of the small torchlit room sat a large lift platform enclosed by an ornate brass cage, its polished mesh woven into simple images of flowers. The group stepped inside, with Corrin settling into a corner as far away as possible from the others, thankful that the size of the lift provided him a couple of meters. A guard slid the gate shut and walked to the corner of the room, where a small gong and a mallet sat on a table. The man lifted the mallet and struck the gong, allowing the sound to resonate up through the shaft. As the echo disappeared, the cage began to rise.

"This will take us just below the throne room, where Mother is," Ryoma explained.

As they slowly rose, the walls became adorned with lightly colored mosaic windows, but the sun was well on the other side of the building by this hour, so the display was rather muted. Corrin paid them no mind, more concerned with what he would say to the Queen. Should he declare that their attempts to further destabilize Nohr were fruitless? Should he try to bargain for his freedom? Or perhaps, should he just listen calmly and play for time until his father could arrange a meeting with her? Then again, he figured, that strategy had worked out remarkably poorly for Azura.

 _'Why would she lie to me?'_ Corrin pondered. He felt wounded by her words, but he knew they couldn't be her own. What could the Hoshidans have said or done to her, that she would go so far as to tell her own brother they weren't siblings? It was a preposterous and cruel notion, and he strove to reason out exactly what they sought to gain by breaking his heart. Could their plans truly end with him merely throwing an insult at the Queen, shoving a princess, just any petty act of aggression? Was it really that simple?

They rose through identical rooms past fourteen floors of varying heights. The elevator came to a rest at the top of the shaft, and the cage was opened for them by another guard. Corrin followed the others out and into a dim torchlit hallway. They went right, through a series of bizarre winding corridors toward the northeast face of the building. He considered asking why so many random walls and empty dead ends were necessary in the architecture of the barren chamber, but it wasn't worth having to speak another word to his current company. After a minute, they reached a spacious opening, with painted sliding doors on their left and a multitude of thin wooden staircases on their right.

"The stairs lead to various parts of the royal hall," Ryoma explained. "None lead directly into the throne chamber." There were twelve sets of stairs in all, with three to the far left, three to the right, and six in close proximity to one another at the end of the room. He led them to one of the far staircases. "This will take us as far as the final door." He gestured to the more isolated stairs on either side of them. "Those go to side rooms."

 _'Do they devise all these hoops to jump through as some kind of game?!'_

It was hardly wide enough for two people to climb shoulder-to-shoulder, so Ryoma, Hinoka, and Azura went up in single file. Kaze motioned for Corrin to go before him, and though the Nohrian snorted at the gesture, he didn't protest and took to the steps.

"Careful, it's dark," Hinoka warned.

Corrin rolled his eyes, with which he could clearly _see_ that it was dark. The princess' performance had been particularly irritating since the Canyon, with her constant whining and moaning whenever he'd rebuke their outlandish stories. He had to admit, she played the part of the doting sister well. In fact, it reminded him in some ways of Camilla, albeit replacing the pleasant singsong tone of the Nohrian with her unbearable scratchiness. Given how natural the behavior seemed to be for Hinoka, he imagined she probably acted that way with all of her real siblings.

The light quickly returned as he reached the halfway point of the short stairway, and Corrin found it was much brighter than the previous floor's scattered braziers. The group emerged into a massive open chamber. Three sets of doors along each side of the great hall opened into smaller antechambers, where he figured the more isolated staircases must have led. Just beside the party were the other five staircases that had been clustered together on the lower floor. Corrin felt a renewed desire to question the ludicrous design, but again held his tongue.

A mere few meters away, gargantuan double doors of black stone rested wide open, their surfaces decorated by streaks of patterned gold. Bright red carpets wide enough for carriages extended from either side of the doorway to the ends of the chamber, though Corrin couldn't see where the one beyond the door ended. Between the carpet, the dark decor on the doors, and the antechambers, he felt that Castle Shirasagi's throne room bore a striking resemblance to that of Castle Krakenburg. The main difference was in the lighting. Krakenburg was lit mostly by candelabra on the floors and walls, all burning with dim reddish flames. On the other hand, Shirasagi was dazzlingly illuminated in equal measure by the sunlight that shone unabated through the windows, and the crystal chandeliers overhead that blazed with enchanted white fire.

Ryoma stood in the threshold of the throne room, smiling pleasantly at his mother and whoever else stood within. He held up his hand in a simple wave before turning back to Corrin one final time. "Mother is inside. As is Kamui."

"Ah, yes, my 'twin'," Corrin squeaked weakly. It was meant to be insulting, but it came off as merely insecure. _'What am I so concerned about?!'_ he berated himself. _'Perhaps they'll keep up the charade. Perhaps they'll fucking torture me. It doesn't matter. If they lay a hand on me, Father will kill them all.'_ So why couldn't he shake his nausea, or overcome the feebleness of his shivering knees? Was he scared of being hurt? Scared to die? Or...

 _'There's no "or"!'_

He pressed on, glancing at Azura's sad smile, and refusing to meet Hinoka's gaze. He strode past Ryoma into the doorway. He clenched his fists by his sides, and gazed out over the long hall at the Hoshidan throne.

The magnificent, red velvet seat sat empty, its glorious golden backdrop suggesting that perhaps none were worthy to sit upon it. Before it, at the base of several gently sloping steps, stood the Queen of Hoshido, Mikoto. The golden circlet atop her head was far more elaborate than Garon's slim crown, with a piece on the back in the shape of a spiked circle that was so large, most of her onyx-colored hair was threaded through the center before falling along her back. Corrin recognized the circlet as resembling that national symbol of Hoshido.

The Queen's outfit, though not so imposing as Garon's showy armor, was nevertheless royally elegant and subtly glamorous-which was to say, not very practical. Her innermost visible layer was a sleeveless dress with a white torso and a wide skirt patterned white and cerulean. Tan, pointed leather pads with intricate golden decorations formed shoulder guards, a half-frame for her skirt, and a corset about her waist. Her arms were covered by white gloves that stopped short of her hands, bound to golden rings on each of her middle fingers. A cape draped over her shoulders, white on top and blue on the underside, its collar tall like those of Nohrian mages.

To her right stood a tall, wiry man with wild gray-green hair and glasses. Aside from shoulder pads bearing the crest of Hoshido, his simple clothes seemed to be those of an average mechanical worker. His place at the Queen's side suggested the exact opposite. Perhaps he was a retainer or advisor to the Queen, as Iago was to King Garon?

Corrin then looked at the girl on Mikoto's right, and the sight caused him to visibly flinch. He knew instantly that she was Princess Kamui, his supposed twin sister. She was also the girl he had seen in his nightmare on the day he left the Northern Fortress, the one who killed him on the battlefield. Just behind her stood the boy who'd shot him with an arrow of blue light. Takumi. He remembered them both vividly. Each looked more apprehensive than welcoming.

Mikoto paid them no mind. She choked up instantly at the sight of the newcomer, a broad smile overtaking her visage as tears welled in her eyes. Kamui took hold of her mother's hand and put on a pleasant mien, which did nothing to stem the salty drops flowing down her cheeks. The Queen took a deep breath, only to lose it to a sob. She tried again and managed to steady herself just long enough to gasp out, "Corrin." Tearful spasms overtook her again.

Corrin jumped, feeling a hand lightly brush his shoulder. Seeing that Azura had been the one who touched him, he tried to stay calm.

Her lips curled slightly upward, but couldn't complete the gesture. "Go to her," she whispered.

"Fuck is she doing?" he sputtered. He regretted his phrasing, and reminded himself again not to completely lose his composure.

Azura closed her eyes and sighed. "You know. I know you do, Corrin."

He scowled and turned away. He supposed that anger was at least better than nausea for the time being. Anger allowed him to begin the long walk to the throne, and the woman pretending to be his mother. He felt the stares of the stoic guards boring into him, surely wondering how he could dare to show his face before the ruler of his enemies' land free of chains. He wanted to snap at them, to inform them all that it was certainly not his choice to be here.

He had almost reached Mikoto when he froze in his tracks, his mouth dropping open with a quiet gasp. Princess Kamui was not so pale as he was, and her hair was deep scarlet to his snow white. From a distance, she hardly resembled his twin. But now he could see her face clearly, and he was soundly shaken by what he observed. Like himself, her eyes were an unnerving blood red. None of her family members shared this oddity. Xander's eyes were a similar color, but as Corrin was forced to remind himself, his older brother had had a different mother. Furthermore, and quite shockingly, Kamui's ears were slim and pointed in the same manner that Corrin's were. Corrin had _never_ seen nor heard of anyone else with such a deformity. The members of the elusive beast tribes were said to have pointed ears, but they were supposed to be larger, not to mention covered in fur. Kamui's were clearly human, which lent itself to no logical explanation.

"Please," Mikoto breathed, unable to finish the thought.

Kamui squeezed her hand. "Allow me, Mother," she said with a chuckle. Looking at Corrin with poorly masked apprehension, she asked, "What's struck you, Corrin?"

"E-Ears," he fumbled, wincing at the nonsense he spoke. "Er, your...you...uh..."

She frowned, but shortly perked up. "Oh, you mean my ears. Yes, they're—"

"Are they real?"

"Hm?" Kamui showed surprise at the question. "Er, of course they're real. You still doubt us, then?"

"I do."

"I see." Kamui checked her mother again. The smile remained on Mikoto's face, though whether it was kept by determination or mania, she couldn't say. "Um, would you like to feel them, Corrin?"

"You'd...let me?"

"If you must." Kamui released her mother's hand and took a few steps toward Corrin. Weighed down by all the eyes on him, he made his feet move in order to meet her halfway. His close proximity to Kamui gave him no choice but to look either into her eyes, or at Mikoto's uncomfortable, expectant gaze.

"You would call yourself my sister," he said needlessly, breathing heavily and making an effort not to direct it in her face. She was exactly the same height as him, and even wore a similar blue kimono. He briefly, very noticeably checked her feet to be sure she wasn't wearing raised shoes, and found that her sandals were no taller than his.

"I do prefer to speak the truth," she replied. No hint of pleasure appeared on her face, replaced by a restrained, but perceptible anger.

Corrin slowly raised his right hand to the side of her head. It shook as though it he'd dunked it in ice water, and they both knew his palm was as damp with sweat as his face. He touched just one finger to the tip of her ear. It felt like flesh. He pressed his thumb gently to its surface, running his fingers along the edge. Flesh, all the way.

"Will you be needing to tug on it?" she suggested impatiently, keeping quiet enough that Mikoto surely wouldn't hear.

Corrin jumped at the sound. "N-No." He withdrew his hand and stared at her, his whole body shaking.

"Will you be sick on me?" She took a step back.

He shook his head. As far gone as he was, he'd still have the courtesy to retch off to the side.

"Good. Well, then, I don't suppose you want me to hug you, but..." Kamui shrugged. "Welcome home, Brother."

 _'My twin sister.'_ Corrin looked past her, at the warmly smiling Queen. _'My...my mother...Arete was my mother...'_ His gaze briefly fell on Takumi. This close, the Hoshidan prince clearly displayed a thinly concealed contempt for him. _'Leo...Xander... They would have told me.'_ He held his head. _'Elise would have told me. Camilla would have told me.'_

Mikoto took a gentle step forward. "Will you be okay, my son?" she asked. Her voice, and her footfalls, were soft. All of her willpower was necessary to hold herself back even a second longer. Was it twenty years, now? It had felt far longer, and yet the pain of his loss still stung fresh in her heart. At last, all would be resolved. Nothing else mattered so much as this moment.

 _'They would have told me. They would have told me. They would have told me.'_

She arrived just in front of him, though he saw only her skirts, as his head was hanging limply over his chest and his eyes lolled uselessly in his head. His head pounded, bringing tears to his eyes. It hurt so much. The pain of illness? The pain of truth?

"My son," Mikoto choked. She laid a hand on his shoulder. She could wait another few seconds to embrace him, though perhaps no longer.

His breath caught in his throat.

 _'They would... They... They would...have...have told...'_

He dropped abruptly to his hands and knees. His ears rang, and his vision blurred with streaks of red and blue. It hurt...so...much...

 _'Why didn't they tell me?'_

"Healers!" Mikoto cried, looking frantically around the hall. "I need—"

"Milady!" General Yukimura exclaimed, sprinting clumsily toward her. He slid to a stop when Kamui grabbed hold of her mother and yanked them both away, as he'd planned to do. Corrin—or whatever the hell was currently writhing on the ground—had tried to take a swing at her leg.

His hand wasn't his own. His skin bubbled and split, and the appendage had transformed completely. It was covered in scales of an otherworldly gray, like polished silver, with fingertips replaced by pointed black claws. Before the Hoshidans could even begin to formulate a response to the attack, the scales started to crumble away, revealing Corrin's tortured flesh still present beneath. The grotesque display didn't stop at just his hand, and Yukimura found himself feeling sick as he watched Corrin's arms, face, and feet contort and pulse with a variety of unnatural blues, blacks, and silvers. A guttural scream erupted from the prince's morphing body, devolving into a shriek of anguish as he collapsed again to the floor. Violent sobs shook him, and he coughed up a small puddle of bloody vomit.

 **"What is...this?!"** he wailed, noticing distantly that it wasn't his voice he was speaking with. His mouth was affected just as strongly on the inside as on his lips and face, his tongue elongating and sharpening to a reptilian point while his throat cracked and dried, then suddenly became very moist. The sound that came from him was deep and distorted, as though he were submerged in water.

Two healers finally reached Corrin, one a court holy woman, and the other Hinoka's retainer, Azama. They attempted to start treating him, but were unable to stay close enough to effectively perform any spells.

Azama backed away and turned to Hinoka. "We need to restrain him!" he yelled.

"Uh, right!" she responded. "Ryoma, back me up!"

"Er, of..." Ryoma stammered, forcing a cough to try to snap himself out of his shock. "Of course!" he said with a nod. and the two sprinted to their brother's side. Along the way, they were joined by Kagero, a retainer of Takumi's named Hinata, and several other soldiers. Kaze attempted to follow them, but Azura held his arm.

"Kaze, you're still hurt," she said forcefully.

He didn't try to resist. She was right. If he got himself hurt again, Kamui wouldn't let him hear the end of it. Eyeing the prince, thrashing about pathetically on the floor, his fading adrenaline gave way to fearful concern. "What the hell is happening to him?"

Azura had no answer, and appeared equally transfixed by the horrific spectacle.

Hinoka latched onto Corrin's scaly, spiky arm, ignoring the pain it caused even through her kimono. He jerked wildly in a reflexive attempt to throw her off, but despite feeling his body dig into hers, she clung tightly to him. Ryoma took Corrin's other arm, grunting as it cut into him. Hinata threw himself onto Corrin's legs and tried to hold them together. The prince kicked out with his transformed foot, and his claws, decimeters long and sharp as daggers, buried themselves in the warrior's thigh. He screamed and was flung away across the floor, leaving a thin trail of blood.

"Hinata!" Takumi cried. He gestured for Kamui to follow him. "Help me hold his head!"

"I'm with you," she replied, glancing behind her to ensure Yukimura was still guiding the Queen away. She joined her younger brother in grabbing hold of Corrin's head with both hands and pinning it to the floor. They both grunted with the effort, confused and terrified by the impossible strength Corrin wielded in this bizarre form.

Joined by the palace guards, the Hoshidan royals were able to keep the struggling prince mostly still on the ground. "Azama!" Hinoka called. "Is this enough?"

The monk lowered his festal over the pile of squirming bodies. "I don't exactly have a great visual," he quipped, "but it's better than being stabbed and thrown about. I'll see what I can do."

"Please hurry," she insisted. The man helping her hold Corrin's arm moved to take her place lying atop it. She wordlessly accepted the offer, shifting her body weight off of the arm and weakly noting the specks of her blood that painted the appendage and the floor around it.

"Is this some kind of curse?" Ryoma asked through gritted teeth.

Azama hummed. "None that I'm familiar with. I don't sense dark magic, exactly, either."

"What do you sense?"

"Well, I've never treated a kitsune, but this at least _feels_ like what I've been taught shape-shifter magic ought to feel like. There's...something else, too, though." He knelt down next to Kamui and examined Corrin's head. "Like his body is somehow pushing back on my festal's energy."

Corrin's body shook, nearly displacing the entire dog-pile holding him down. **"He-e-l...mmmragh!"**

"What the hell did he just say?" Takumi demanded. "'Hell' something?"

Kamui groaned as Corrin's movements became even more erratic, and his entire body began to pulse at once. "I think he said, 'Help me'. Whatever this is, it's hurting him!"

"Yeah, and he's hurting us! Fucking look at Hinata!"

"Not helpful!" Hinoka shouted. Corrin abruptly swung his arm with far more force than before, causing her to shriek as his armor-like skin cut into her and she lost her grip.

Azama quickly took her place. "He's still transforming!" he exclaimed.

Kamui winced and withdrew her hands, which had nearly been impaled by spiky growths sprouting from the top of Corrin's head. The mutation resembled a pair of thin gray antlers in appearance. Out of the corner of her eye, the princess saw Azura still standing in the doorway of the throne room, and her eyes lit up. "Azura!" she called. "Try _Lost in Thoughts_!"

Azura jogged closer, looking at Kamui quizzically. "Do you really think that could work?"

"If it's not a curse, it has to be something in his blood! Calming his rage may stop the transformation!"

Azura frowned. Her hand closed lightly around her mother's pendant. "I'll try," she said. Standing as close as she could without getting in anyone's way, she cleared her throat and began to sing slowly, as if performing a lullaby. As she did so, the jewel in her necklace lit up, glowing a brilliant blue.

" _You are the ocean's gray waves_

 _Destined to seek_

 _Life beyond the shore_

 _Just out of reach..._ "

She paused for a moment. Corrin's body was still growing, and silver wings, like those of a bat, had sprouted from his back. All over his body, his skin had hardened into rough, smoky armor. His limbs were still growing, and the digits on each hand and foot were bound together in a dark blue solid, resembling the hooves of a horse. His sandals had been popped off, and his kimono was torn practically to shreds. A thick tail materialized behind him, thrashing the soldiers who clung to his legs. His face and the entire front of his body, which was becoming the underside of his animalistic transformation, was sealed in the same smooth blue substance.

Stifling a gasp, Azura closed her eyes and continued.

" _Yet the waters ever change_

 _Flowing like time_

 _The path is_

 _Yours to climb._ "

"It's working!" Ryoma declared. Corrin's wings and tail had grown significantly, but were now quickly withering away. Despite this, he continued to fight the team pinning him to the ruined carpet. "Don't stop!"

" _In the white light_

 _A hand reaches through..._ "

Corrin's shouts faded to strained grunts, but still, he struggled. His siblings were all in various states of pain, each groaning with the effort of holding him down and gasping as his armored body ripped into their skin.

" _A double-edged blade_

 _Cuts your heart in two._

 _Waking dreams_

 _Fade away;_

 _Embrace the brand-new day!_ "

Finally, the beast that was previously Corrin seemed to be losing the will to fight. His limbs no longer flailed, and the armor was starting to crack all along his body. His hooves had broken open, and more of his fingers became visible by the second.

Azura took a deep breath and launched into the second half of the verse.

" _Sing with me a song_

 _Of birthrights and love._

 _The light scatters to_

 _The sky above!_

 _Dawn breaks through the foam_

 _White as a bone_

 _Lost in thoughts_

 _All alone._ "

The remainder of Corrin's armor snapped apart and crumbled, the particles vanishing as if burning to cinders in an invisible fire, leaving only bare skin and the rags that remained of his previous outfit. His antlers and tail blew away like ashes. His blue mask melted, causing Takumi's hands to slip and smack his brother's peaceful face.

Everyone hesitantly released him and stood, staring down at him for a moment. Then Hinoka crouched again and hurriedly took hold of Corrin's arm, flipping him onto his back.

Azama grabbed her shoulder. "Milady, you're injured! Let the medics examine him." He gestured at a group of healers, two shrine maidens and another monk, who had gathered around Corrin's still body. "In the meantime, try not to move much. I need to help the girl dealing with Hinata." He hurried off without waiting for an answer.

"Thanks, Azama." Hinoka's voice was hoarse and quiet, and she clumsily flopped onto her rear and clutched her gut. There were several wide gashes in her kimono, all stained with blood. She softly touched each wound, sighing softly upon realizing none were so deep as to be debilitating. The doctors would have her patched up in, at most, a couple of hours.

She vaguely caught the healers working on Corrin jabbering phrases such as "His breathing seems normal," and "He's got a decent pulse." A soldier had helped Ryoma to his feet, and Kagero was now inspecting his wounds, none of which were even as bad as Hinoka's. Takumi received a similar treatment from Oboro, a blue-haired girl who served as his retainer alongside Hinata, though the younger prince repeatedly insisted he was fine.

Hinoka did not initially see Kamui, but found that she had already left the scene to comfort their mother, who was sobbing hysterically beside the throne. _'That must have been downright awful for Mother,'_ she realized, because Mikoto had not been able to assist in any way. She'd been forced to simply watch as her son became a demon before her eyes, savagely fighting his own siblings on the floor of their home. Yukimura had tried to shield her from actually looking at the scene for long, but even without the glimpses she'd managed, the mere sounds would have been enough to send her into delirium.

On the other side of the room, Azura panted frantically. Sweat clung to her hair and covered her from head to toe. Her pendant had stopped glowing, and no longer gave any hint as to its magical potential. A soldier demanded to know if she was alright, and was waved away with a faint smile. She knew she'd be fine, though she'd never put so much effort into the song in the past. She thanked the gods Corrin started to turn back when he did, or else the other two verses might have rendered _her_ unconscious as well.

With the unprecedented crisis averted, most everyone was able to calm themselves, and the healers settled into their work. Takumi, Oboro, and Ryoma went to check on Hinata, who was wincing and cursing at Azama's touch but would surely be back on his feet in a couple of days. Hinoka was standing again, but with all the available medics occupied, she was just waiting her turn for an examination.

And Corrin, who moments before had been transformed into some manner of mythological monster and doing all he could to escape, now slept peacefully for the first time since the Bottomless Canyon.

()

Corrin's eyes opened slowly. It was dark. His head rested on a pillow, low to the ground. He was lying on a futon, which meant he was still in Hoshido, of course. The caravan had arrived at the Hoshidan capital of Shirasagi, and then...

He bolted upright, holding his viciously throbbing head as it all came back to him. He was a Hoshidan prince, the son of Queen Mikoto. Xander, Elise, Camilla, Leo, Garon—every one of them had lied to him his entire life. Did Felicia know? Flora? Jakob? Gunter? Lilith, the dragon? Did they all know that his entire existence was a lie? A sham? A gods-damned farce?!

And he'd known, long before feeling Kamui's ear in the throne room. He'd known Azura wouldn't lie to him. He'd known the entire city couldn't keep up such a facade. He'd known that Kaze was telling the truth about the Cheve Incident back in Kamiki, days ago. He'd denied it the whole time, because he knew if it was true, he could no longer expect to believe anything again. Twenty fucking _years_ of nothing but lies, lies, lies. King Garon was a liar. King Garon was a murderer. King Garon's children were liars, and probably all murderers, too. Everyone Corrin had ever known... Nothing they'd said or done meant a single thing anymore.

He screamed. At the top of his lungs, he practically shook the castle walls with an auditory explosion that carried all of his fear and rage. Just short of half a minute passed before his lungs were empty, and the fear and rage were gone. He was still for a minute, staring through the dark room at the wall ahead. He absently noticed that a window let in the soft orange glow of dawn, just enough to illuminate the red-eyed, white-haired doll staring back at him from the wall. It smiled at him in the dark, meekly hoping that he would join it in celebrating the break of day.

When he caught his breath, he sat a moment longer, tears running down his cheeks. He laid himself slowly back down and kicked away the blanket that had covered him. Clad only in a pair of undergarments, he curled up on the futon and sobbed.

Without terror, and without anger, all he had left—the only thing he could trust, the only thing he knew to be real—was pain.

* * *

 **A/N: College got in the way of writing for a while, and this chapter was really dependent on building the setting, which is not my strong suit. Nevertheless, a mere four months late, it's done. Rest assured, I haven't given up on this project. Now, onto the notes.**

 **I've changed the height of Castle Krakenburg from an insane 750m to just 150m. (For perspective, this is still about twice as tall as Castle Shirasagi.) I've also realized that my design of Krakenburg is completely different from the game's, due to my own misinterpretation, and I may fix this as part of the extensive revisions I have planned.**

 **The main revision I made to Castle Shirasagi's design was the removal of skylights from the throne room. Judging by Chapter 4 and Conquest Chapter 27 in the games, the throne room can't possibly be on the top floor. (Then again, Shirasagi's design makes no sense whatsoever when viewing Conquest Chapters 25, 26, and 27 back-to-back.)**

 **To the guest reviewer on the latest chapter: I can try to limit how often I do perspective changes. The difficulty is that with so many characters to cover and things just lining up at the same time for Hoshido and Nohr, it's easier as the writer to cut back and forth whenever it's convenient.**

 **Coming up will be another extension of chapter 1, thorough overhauls of chapters 2 and 3 (possibly 4 and 5 as well), and whatever minor touch-ups I see fit throughout the rest. With all this, I expect to have chapter 12 done within three to four months.**


	12. Heir of Tragedy

_November, 2013 AD_

"Lord Corrin! I'm afraid you can't skip breakfast _and_ lunch in the same day."

The fourth distinct voice to pierce the silence of Corrin's bedroom was the first he failed to recognize. The woman was just a little higher-pitched than Camilla, and spoke with a carefree, singsong inflection. Judging by her tone, it seemed to him that she wasn't as worried as the others about upsetting him. Admittedly, the idea was refreshing. It was not enough to rouse him from the futon on which he was curled up, his head covered by the blankets with only a few tangled locks of white hair sticking out.

"I assure the food is better than what you had on the road."

He remained silent.

"Lord Corrin! Might I at least have the courtesy of a halfhearted, disapproving groan? A child would do as much."

The idea was amusing, but not quite enticing.

"You don't need to _admit_ that you're starving, I already know that. So come on!" A few more seconds passed. "It's really not that hard. Get up, open the door, take the plate. Feet, door, food."

Corrin's stomach whined and gurgled like a dying beast. He gave a halfhearted, disapproving groan and shrugged off the blanket.

"That's the spirit!" the woman encouraged. "At least, as far as my job's concerned."

He got to his feet and started toward the door, but stopped to eye a stack of clothes lying on a low, round table by his futon. "I'm going to get dressed," he said, his voice hoarse.

"Wow, going the extra mile, eh?"

He briefly considered smiling at the comment as he slid off his undergarments and took the fresh pair from the top of the pile. Next, he donned a royal blue kimono and a pair of short black socks, which had separate spaces for his halluces. Though he'd realized the design made it possible to wear the sandals Hoshidans seemed to prefer, his feet still felt odd in the garments, as if he'd put them in thin mittens. Nevertheless, he slipped into the open shoes. There was also a white skirt and a matching jacket with gold embroidering, but recalling how heavy and fevered he had felt in the many-layered outfit he'd worn at the party in Krakenburg, he opted to skip the accessories. He could withstand the mild Hoshidan autumn in light attire, he was sure.

An object at the edge of his vision halted his progress to the door. The stuffed doll he'd received during his reception the previous day still sat upright in the corner of the room. It's uneven facial features and rough patchwork did nothing to inhibit the aura of unease that the toy emanated. He pushed it as far from his mind as he could.

As Corrin drew the sliding door aside, the woman took a moment to look him over with a smile that held a faintly sly feel about it. "Not feeling the haori or the hakama, eh?"

"I suppose not," he said. "Assuming you mean the jacket and skirt."

"Yeah, those." She held out the platter in her hands, piled high with a variety of Hoshidan foods including a couple different kinds of meat, neatly sorted slices of fruits and vegetables, a few densely wrapped sushi rolls, and a pile of noodles. A tall, white porcelain cup decorated with blue and gold colored dragons stood in the center of the plate, nestled between the foods and filled with pure water. A pair of chopsticks, as well as a simple knife and fork fashioned from silver, were wedged under the noodles for lack of space.

He took the plate, swallowing as his mouth began watering. "Thanks."

She bowed. "My pleasure. Though, you don't _have_ to eat it in your room, you know." She nodded to her side, down the hall. "Her Majesty would be elated to see you in the dining hall."

"No, I'll stay here," he replied immediately. "I—"

"—need more time for thinking?" she suggested. "I'm sure you spent plenty of time doing that in-between everyone shouting through your door."

He eyed her for a moment. "What is your name?" he inquired. The question seemed to surprise her.

"Oh? Why do you ask?"

"Because you're speaking to me like your little brother, and not a prince." He paused to clear his parched throat. "So I doubt you're just a maid."

"You'd be correct." She put her hands on her hips and grinned. "I am Orochi, court diviner, and friend and servant of Queen Mikoto."

"The queen sent you?"

"Surprised?"

"Well, yes. All the others who approached me today were royalty."

Orochi laughed. "Yeah, and Mikoto, Hinoka, and Ryoma couldn't get you up."

"Don't pride yourself on my empty stomach." His insult wavered on his exhausted breath and fell flat. It was just as well; he didn't particularly hate her.

"Suit yourself." She placed her hand on the door. "I hope you won't become too comfortable in your seclusion."

"We'll see." Corrin turned his back to her, holding the plate close to his chest, and listened to the door sliding shut behind him. He cleared off the table that had held his outfit, setting the remaining articles on the futon before seating himself beside them and placing his meal on the table.

He set the chopsticks aside immediately, opting instead for the familiar silverware. He lifted the porcelain cup and drank from it, swallowing three mouthfuls before forcing himself to put it down. His throat stung from a combination of crying and dry-heaving, as well as the screaming he'd done during his surreal, terrifying episode in the throne room.

Putting the events of the previous day out of his head, he impaled a small cube of melon on his fork and brought it to his mouth. The sweet, soft fruit soothed him, and his longing for more quickly overpowered his desire to savor the taste. He began shoveling food into his gullet, allowing flavors to mix on his tongue and chasing them down with smaller sips of water. Everything had been sliced into bite-sized pieces in the kitchen, which he supposed must be typical of Hoshidan cuisine as it rendered the knife unnecessary.

Eating in his room had proven wise to protect his dignity, which surely would have evaporated under the watch of the Hoshidan royals in the dining hall. He was slightly ashamed to admit, even to himself, that everything before him tasted divine. By the time he managed to slow himself down, he had only a few strips of beef, some noodles, a lone slice of white daikon radish, and a sushi roll left. In this moment of clarity he scolded himself for his haste, then proceeded to scarf down the rest and chase it with the last few milliliters of water.

He sighed, unable to decide whether contentment or shame had invited the act. The barren plate stared back at him, reminding him each moment of his current situation. He hadn't starved himself to death, so he supposed he didn't want to die. Not yet, in any case. He had also broken his isolation by holding a conversation with Orochi, so continuing to hide himself was out of the question. Finally, he had already confronted what he knew to be the truth: Princess Kamui was his sister. He hadn't quite accepted this fact, in the sense that it still set his heart ablaze and unleashed storm clouds upon his brain, but he understood that that phenomenon would end eventually if he let it. In all likelihood, it meant that much of what the Hoshidans told him, and he'd vehemently doubted, must also be true.

He looked the doll over once more. Curiously, its blank expression no longer seemed to be mocking him, though what exactly it _was_ trying to say eluded him. Nevertheless, he told himself to take it as a sign that the world might one day make sense again.

He stood and made for the door. Nohrian or Hoshidan, prisoner or prince, lying alone feeling sorry for himself was accomplishing nothing. It was time to meet the truth.

()

A sharp, gleeful gasp passed over Queen Mikoto's lips when her son crossed the threshold of the screen door on the northwest end of the dining hall. It was past 2 o' clock now, she and her children had long since finished their meal, and Takumi had excused himself an hour ago, but the wait had been well worth it to see Corrin up and about. She beckoned him to the table. "I'm so glad to see you!" she called. "I hope you enjoyed the food."

Corrin tensed suddenly at the sound of her voice, his throat tightening and his body practically having a fit. "Y-yes," he said. "Erm, it was excellent." Perhaps he wasn't as prepared as he'd thought.

Mikoto, for her part, didn't skip a beat despite his mumbling failing to reach her ears. "Please, sit with us a while."

As much as he itched with each step closer, he made himself take the empty seat by the head of the table, between Mikoto and Hinoka and across from Azura. He stared at the Nohrian for a moment, trying to put his pain into words, but shortly averted his gaze without a sound. His face felt warm. _'Don't you fucking cry,'_ he reproached himself. _'Not now.'_

Seeing as Mikoto appeared to be giving him time to get the first word in, he scanned the table while he calmed his nerves. Kamui sat across the table, between Azura and Ryoma. Azura and Mikoto were upright and attentive, while the elder royal siblings were more relaxed in their seats. He must have kept them waiting awhile to catch Ryoma with his guard down.

He took a slow breath. "So," he began. The empty word served only to goad him from his silence. Ryoma leaned forward expectantly, but the others held their postures. Corrin fought an itch in his throat. "Where to begin?"

"Well, how are you feeling?" Azura spoke up, her gentle voice spreading a soothing calm through the air. "Physically, I mean."

"Fine." Corrin looked down at his hands, laid out on the tabletop, and flexed them a couple of times. "I…don't think that anything really happened to my body, somehow."

Mikoto sighed and laughed. "What a relief! I'd worried that you were suffering in silence."

"I…" he stammered. He knew he was folding his hand, surrendering his perceptions of the event to them, but… "I have to ask: what the blazes _was_ that? Do any of you have any idea? What…What happened to me?"

At first, nobody stepped up to answer. Each of them seemed to hope that another would be willing to start recounting the ordeal. After several long seconds, Kamui said simply, "You transformed." He stared at her. "Like a shape-shifter."

"Our best magicians found no evidence that you were cursed," Ryoma added.

Corrin raised his hands incredulously. "What, so—so that can just _happen_? That's…" He coughed to quell his rising anger. "I don't follow you."

"It's possible that this is simply a type of curse or hex we're unfamiliar with. Nohr's sorcerers have always had access to magics we here aren't familiar with, just as we've some techniques that Nohr finds difficult to replicate." The High Prince shifted in his seat, his expression still neutral. "However, there is another possibility. Kamui suggested that the transformation might be in your blood, in the same way that only the wild-kin can harness the power of Beaststones. One of our finest healers confirmed that the transformation seemed to match the wild-kins'.

Corrin shifted his gaze Mikoto. "That's ridiculous. I'm your -" He choked. "Your... You know."

"You are my child," the Queen affirmed.

"You have dragon blood," Kamui stated. "Just as all of us do."

"And I assume you can use Dragon Veins," Corrin guessed. "Just as the...my..." His face burned. "I...ah, dammit."

"The Nohrian royal family," Kamui ascertained.

"Yeah," he sighed. "But, I thought only the royal lines had passed down dragon blood?"

Kamui looked to be about to speak, but instead let out her breath and turned to the Queen. "Mother? Would you like to?"

"Of course," Mikoto said. Corrin leaned closer on his hands. "I was raised in a village alongside the Bottomless Canyon, called Nokori. My father, Tomokazu, was the last leader of our people."

"Hold on," Corrin interjected. "You aren't Hoshidan, then? Not by birth?"

"That's correct. Nokori ascribed to no nationality, though we did reside along the eastern cliffs."

"And you - er, and myself, and Kamui..." He cleared his throat. "You left this place with us?"

A sigh passed Mikoto's lips, tilted slightly upward with the faintest hint of a smile. "Yes." A gentle pink filled her pale cheeks, and her soft voice nearly crumbled in her throat. She laid a hand over her heart. "I'm sorry, a moment, please. I'm so happy to hear you refer to us as your family!"

Corrin blinked his surprise. "Of-Of course. I…" He coughed again, and absently scratched a sudden itch on the back of his hand. "I, I mean…" He tilted his head downward to exhale, raising it with an attempt at a smile. "It will take some getting used to. But, I promise I will get used to it." He paused involuntarily, his strained face making it obvious he meant to continue. "…Mother."

The Queen beamed. "I've waited twenty years to hear you call me 'Mother,'" she said softly, her heart melting. She dabbed at the corner of her glistening eye with her sleeve. "Oh, but I shall resume my story. Admittedly, though, there isn't much more to it. My family, like the Hoshidan and Nohrian royal lines, carried dragon blood in our veins." Noticing Corrin's eyes perk up, she continued. "For us, it was a simple fact of life, in the same way that the elementalist tribes pass down their unique magical powers. We lived within our means, farming and occasionally hunting wolves or other vagabond animals that would wander into the crags. We never encountered bandits or political trouble during my father's time, so things were peaceful."

"Until…?" Corrin prompted.

"Until an earthquake plunged the entire village into the Canyon."

The prince glanced around the table at the others. None of them looked the least bit surprised by the startling development in the Queen's story, instead offering solemn, empathetic looks. She must have told it more than once before. "That's…That's horrible," he mumbled. "I'm so sorry you had to endure that."

Mikoto inhaled sharply. "I had had visions of the village in ruins—I am a foreseer, as you may know."

He nodded. Nohr knew little of the extent or applications of Queen Mikoto's power of foresight, only that her visions were of greater clarity than any diviner reading the will of the spirits. Or, at least, that was what he had been told in Nohr. Bitterly, he realized the legitimacy of any claim made in his studies beyond the scope of reading, writing, and arithmetic was now fully up in the air for questioning.

"I started seeing it just after you were born, months before it actually happened. In the visions, the bright sky would suddenly darken over our homes, and the dirt would devour our crops, then our houses. But we were wrong about what it really meant." She choked up, taking a gasping breath to try to keep on track.

A soft scraping sound alerted them both. Kamui had risen and was sliding her chair around Azura's back, resting it by her mother's side. When she took her seat again, she put an arm around the Queen and leaned into her side.

The gesture seemed to help Mikoto steady her breathing, and she resumed her tale. "I believed that I had seen a famine lay waste to our food, starving out our way of life. My father agreed, as did _your_ father." She closed her eyes, picturing the husband she had lost, and with whom the whole world had seemed to die. "Hanzaki."

"Hanzaki," Corrin whispered. The name rolled off his tongue like any other Hoshidan name—the name of a stranger, of a person who shouldn't exist. His father's name. "Hanzaki." He coughed. "Please, continue."

"It wasn't a famine. The earth did not turn poisonous, nor did our well run dry or the animals fall to illness. The truth was more literal, so obvious, so damned obvious…" Mikoto took another gasping breath, focusing for a moment on the comforting presence of her daughter beside her. "The soil did not swallow Nokori. The rocks did."

"An earthquake," Corrin said.

"An earthquake." A single sob escaped the Queen. Nevertheless, she pushed forward. "Hanzaki often went out on hunts at the break of dawn with a few other men. He was always so brave, and…and it was on one of those mornings that the ground began to rock as if a colossus had awakened beneath the village. I was roused when I was rolled off my futon by the initial shocks, and it only got so much worse, so quickly. I knew right away what was happening, that I had seen this already, but we'd been preparing for the wrong disaster. I…I knew the village was doomed. But I thought, maybe, I still had time to save you.

"I rushed to your crib and gathered you and Kamui in my arms, and I held you as tightly against my body as I could without hurting you, and our little house started coming down around us. The floorboards split open. Walls splintered. I rushed outside into a nightmare. So many people were screaming, but I could barely even hear them over the roar of the earth shifting beneath our feet and all around our homes. I…" Her breath hitched, and her eyes were wide. Kamui gave her a gentle squeeze, reminding her that the tragedy had remained in the distant past. She blinked and carried on. "I wanted to help, but it was all I could do just to stand, as the ground thrashed like a rabid beast in a trap. I had to get you to safety. So I stumbled slowly along, heading east to try to clear the crags. The whole time I was crying out for Hanzaki. I was screeching, desperate to be heard over the cacophony. I…" Another sob, then another and several more turned to openly weeping. She lowered her head onto Kamui's shoulder as her tears flowed freely.

Corrin felt a tap on his shoulder, finding Hinoka to be the culprit. "I can finish for her," the princess said.

"Could, I have a moment, please?" he requested, so softly that the others nearly missed it. He looked across the table at Azura, whose expression was as somber as the Hoshidans. "You've heard this all before?"

She nodded. "I once asked the same question as you; how someone from outside Hoshido could pass down dragon blood." She gestured to her right, where Ryoma had at some point moved his seat into the space Kamui left. "Ryoma is the one I asked. I was, maybe ten or eleven at the time."

"Somewhere around that time," the High Prince affirmed. "I asked Mother if she was ready to recount the disaster to us. Until then, even Hinoka and I had few of the details."

"I see," Corrin said. "Then, Hinoka…" He inhaled deeply, steeling himself as if for some unavoidable blow. "…my…sister…"

Hinoka's mouth fell open, gradually shaping itself into a grin. "Wow," she laughed. "Just trying it out?"

He chuckled uneasily. "Yeah. It, uh, kind of…hurt? …to say?"

"Well, I look forward to the day you can say that without giving yourself an ulcer." She smirked, laying her arm over the back of her chair. "Hopefully it will be within the week. Anyway, Mother's escape."

Corrin coughed and nodded. "Right. Continue."

"She stayed on her feet until she couldn't feel the tremors anymore. By that point, it was just about dusk of the next day, and she was already well into the Southern Plains, carrying two infants who had been crying on and off and hadn't eaten or slept properly in over twelve hours. She collapsed on the grass in an otherwise empty space, under a clearing sky. She fed you and Kamui from her breast, despite the fact that she hadn't eaten in ages either. Then, she clutched you both close to her and curled up to sleep. Thankfully, the weather was still warm enough that none of you fell ill.

"She awoke late the next morning, and when she looked up, the first thing she saw was a pegasus far off in the distance to the south, just a speck on the horizon. So, she picked you up and started walking. It took another day's hike until she reached a little village called Chiheisen, where a humanitarian detachment from our nearby Fort Seijitsu was checking up after the quake. She managed to tell the crew that her village had been hit hard, and that you and Kamui needed to be looked at, and then she passed out."

"Did they send aid?" Corrin asked, glancing sideways at his mother and sister.

Hinoka shook her head. "They'd never heard of Nokori. It was never in official Hoshidan records. A few Sky Knights packed some rations and a change of clothes and left at dawn to scout out the area. Mother wasn't happy when she found out a real crew hadn't been sent, but she understood. The soldiers, for their part, spoke kindly to her and didn't doubt her story."

"What did the scouts find?"

"Nothing."

Corrin's eyebrow twitched upward. "Nothing? As in, the village wasn't there?"

"The scouts returned in two and a half days, and told their commanding officer that they'd found no trace of a settlement. No houses, no fields, and no bodies."

"That ca—" Corrin stopped himself. " _Is_ that possible?"

"Mother didn't believe it either. She begged the soldiers to take her there, and they acquiesced. One of the village women with a young child of her own offered to house and nurse you while Mother traveled." Hinoka chuckled. "She nearly had a panic attack while flying, worrying about you two. But she had to stay, to see her home for herself. As they approached the place where Nokori was supposed to be, Mother realized why the scouts hadn't found anything. The Canyon had significantly widened."

"Enough to swallow the whole village? Buildings and farmland altogether?"

"Every speck of dirt was either buried under rocks or at the bottom of a pitch-black grave."

"Gods," Corrin murmured. "And, my father? Hanzaki?"

"They never found him, or his hunting party. Mother believes they would have tried to rescue others in the village, and didn't make it out."

Corrin lowered his eyes to the table, where his hands were clenched involuntarily into tight fists that strained his knuckles. A sob bubbled up through his throat without pause. A tear fell onto his arm, leaving a dark circle on the sleeve of his kimono. "They hid all this from me," he seethed.

"Corrin…"

He bashed his fists against the table, startling the others. "All my life, they hid this from me! My mother, my real father, all a lie! Bastards…" He choked out the last word, his tears now flowing freely.

Azura gasped. Forcing herself not to cry out, she managed, "Corrin, your arm."

Tracing her gaze to where his sleeve had slid up along his right arm, he found what she had seen. His skin had begun to morph, with patches of the scale-like armor that had covered him in the throne room appearing over his flesh. "Oh no, please gods no," he begged.

"Corrin, calm down," Hinoka instructed. She laid her hand over his wrist, but he shook her away with such force that she nearly fell from her chair.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" he screamed. His voice echoed through the quiet halls of the serene palace.

Azura sprang up from her chair, as did Ryoma, Kamui, and Mikoto. "Don't move!" the Nohrian requested. "Let me do this." She hurried around the end of the table to Corrin's side. "Corrin, look at me."

He complied, raising his head to meet her eyes. His throat was already nearly overtaken by the transformation, and scales had appeared in various spots on his face. His eyes, red from their lids to the pupils, begged her to save him from whatever was overtaking him.

"Take my hand," Azura said, touching her fingers to his. He quickly wrapped his hand around hers, not noticing the scales digging into her skin. She grunted in pain, but held fast. "You're not going to change, understand?"

"Help me," he whimpered.

Hinoka squirmed in her chair. "Azura, sing!" she urged.

"Hush," Ryoma said calmly. "She might not have to." He reached a hand across the table, which his sister took hold of and squeezed to help keep herself still.

"Corrin," Azura said again. "Please, listen. This transformation is because of your emotions."

He panted, eyeing her sideways while watching the back of his hand disappear under the white armor. "I don't..."

"Your fear is causing you to change. I know you're scared, but to stop it, you have to calm down." The growing scales tore through the shoulder of his kimono, and Corrin turned his head to see. "Look at me. Look at me!" Azura directed. His pitiful gaze returned to her. "Just focus on me. Don't think about anything else." Slowly, she threaded her unoccupied arm under his and held him in a gentle hug. As she expected, he threw his arms around her in response, ripping holes in her robes and scratches in her back. She winced, but was able to get her other arm around him and hold him close. His back was unnaturally hard under the cloth, having already been overtaken by the otherworldly plate, and the blue scales on his face scraped her as she held her cheek to his.

Thirty seconds passed in which no one dared move a muscle. Then, miraculously, Corrin realized he could feel Azura's skin with the tip of his own finger. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes to watch the armor begin breaking away from his arm, vaporizing instantly in the air. He could feel the warmth of her face on his own, her hands clinging to his back. She had saved him once again.

"What's going on?" a young man's voice demanded from across the room. "Did Azura sing, or what?" Rapid footfalls on the tile indicated that he was jogging toward the table.

"She didn't have to, Takumi," Kamui informed him.

Corrin was alarmed to feel Azura's hands leave him, but he managed to make himself release her as well.

"Wait, so, how'd she change him back?"

"She told me to calm down," Corrin breathed, laughing with relief. He wiped his glistening forehead with a tattered sleeve. The moment lost its joy when he noticed that a number of castle guards had surrounded the table and were watching him apprehensively, causing him to shrink in embarrassment. His hands were no longer comfortable on the table, where his fury had left a wide crack, so he placed them in his lap.

Takumi folded his arms. "So…he turns into a monster when he's angry?"

Mikoto waved at the soldiers. "Guards, you may go. I apologize for the disturbance." The group filed out, with a few mumbling quiet, rehearsed phrases of acknowledgment or reassurance. Despite the pleasantries, their unease was tangible. As the last man exited the room, the Queen dried a tear and smiled at her younger step-son. "Take a seat, Takumi. The circumstance couldn't have been much worse, but nevertheless, I'm glad you're back."

"Right." The prince didn't take his eyes off Corrin while taking his seat next to Hinoka. Azura returned to her place across the table. "So what were you discussing that made him go crazy?" Takumi inquired.

Hinoka turned around in her chair. "If you care to listen instead of making thoughtless remarks..." He rolled his eyes. "We were discussing Mother's arrival in Hoshido. It brought unpleasant things to Corrin's mind."

Corrin shivered as nausea suddenly overcame him. "Oh gods," he breathed. "Kamui was right. That demon, it _is_ me."

All the Hoshidans, save for Takumi, began moving at once to speak, but Azura quickly raised both her hands and began mouthing "don't," accompanied by a steely glare. "Corrin, look at me," she requested softly. He met her eyes, his expression pleading. "Right now, it doesn't matter where that part of you came from, okay? Perhaps it is a gift from the gods; perhaps a curse. It doesn't change who you are." Taking in her words, he managed to look a bit less pathetic, though she clearly hadn't gotten through to him all the way. "Promise us that you'll remember that."

His breathing was shaky, but he nodded forcefully. "Okay."

Azura looked at Mikoto and her daughter, but the Queen evidently didn't have any better idea than her how best to dismiss the incident. Not wanting to let the silence linger, Kamui piped up, "We will find the source of this, eventually, but for now just having you here is enough, Brother."

"Of course it is," Ryoma added.

"It's all we've wanted," Hinoka chimed in.

Corrin's blush stood out fiercely against his pale face. "Erm, thank you, everyone. Truly."

Takumi coughed. "So where were you in Mother's story?"

"Oh, of course," Kamui said. "I'll tell the rest, briefly." Corrin cast his full attention on her, as did the others. "After finding Nokori in ruin, Mother returned to the village and agreed to come to Shirasagi, to explain her plight to King Sumeragi in person. He fell in love with her at first sight, but of course he was still married to Queen Ikona then, gods rest her soul."

"My blood mother also loved her as much as any friend could," Ryoma added. "If I may say as much?"

Mikoto nodded. "Please. Frankly, I'm mess with emotional stories."

"My mother fell terribly ill before Takumi was born, and she had Father promise that if she didn't make it, he would marry Mikoto with as little delay as the people would allow. By that point, the Queen had introduced her would-be successor at dozens of official meetings and festivals, and Mikoto had been named Chief Domestic Policy Advisor to Father. Most of our subjects were quite open to the idea of Mikoto filling the hole that my mother's passing would leave."

"And the rest?" Corrin ventured.

"A peaceful minority. Which, to be honest, included Hinoka and I for some time."

"Mm-hm," the princess hummed. "I didn't really get used to it until she found out she was pregnant with Sakura. And, well...maybe the story should stop there."

"She wasn't born until after the Nohrians killed Father," Takumi recounted.

Hinoka slapped his wrist hard enough to make him recoil. "Takumi!"

"Ow! What the hell did I do?"

"You could stand to be a little more sensitive!"

He rubbed the red mark she'd left on his arm. "Why mince words?"

"I shouldn't have to explain to you that saying nasty things can have consequences. How old are you, again?"

"What?!" He looked incredulously at her. " _I_ shouldn't have to explain that Nohr is still our enemy! You were at the gods-damned border! They _killed_ Omozu!"

"That's enough!" Ryoma boomed. Takumi fell silent immediately, slouching in his chair and scowling. "Corrin is _not_ responsible for what happened at the border. It would do you well to treat your step-brother with some respect."

Takumi said nothing to this, but he did allow his expression to soften somewhat.

Corrin cleared his throat and addressed his mother, whose focus shifted to him from Takumi. "So that means Princess Sakura is my half-sister?"

"That's right," Kamui confirmed.

"I suppose that wasn't crucial information on the journey here?"

"Sakura hasn't yet returned from her audience with the Fire Tribe," Ryoma explained. "Hinoka and I figured that our complex family tree would be better explained within Shirasagi's walls."

"Would it have made a difference to hear that sooner?" Hinoka asked.

Corrin sighed. "I suppose not. You were right that Kamui was the one I needed to see." He looked around the table one more time, telling his ailing mind once more that his step-siblings were his step-siblings, not the royalty of an enemy nation; that Azura, his courageous and clever twice-rescuer, was merely a friend, not his sister; that Kamui, his mother the Queen, and Princess Sakura were his only living blood relatives. His mind responded by sending a fresh wave of grief throughout his whole body. "So," he said, breaking the silence that had been constricting around him. "Now that I'm all caught up, what's next on the agenda?"

"If you're comfortable being up and about, your siblings could give you the grand tour of Shirasagi," Mikoto suggested. "I will await the news of Sakura's return here."

Corrin recalled the torment he'd endured being paraded through the streets of the capital. He dreaded returning to face the masses of people who had chanted his name in jubilation. On the other hand, he did want to see the town without suffering from a splitting headache and a persistent denial of reality. "That sounds nice," he said. "I think I need the fresh air."

The Queen clapped her hands. "Splendid!"

Ryoma was the first to stand. "I'll request some purses."

Takumi was the second. "If it's all the same, I'd prefer to return to my training."

"I don't think it's all the same," Hinoka stated.

"Takumi," Mikoto said calmly. He tensed, knowing that a neutral calmness meant she was damn near furious. "I really think it would be wonderful for Corrin to spend time with all of you, as a family."

He groaned, which almost instantaneously shifted itself to a far less inflammatory sigh. "I'll go with them."

"Wonderful." Mikoto tittered. "And, of course the rest of you know this, but 'family' to me means Azura, too."

Corrin looked at her, then at the girl he'd used to call 'sister.' "Really?"

Azura smiled. "I've been family ever since I arrived. I was very slow to really accept their hospitality, but…" She shrugged. "I was given free reign to wander the palace grounds immediately, and in a few months I was cleared to venture anywhere in Shirasagi with an escort."

"Have you been outside Shirasagi?"

She stood and stretched her arms. "We have a lot to discuss about our upbringings. Why don't we walk and talk?"

"Sure. Will we meet Ryoma by the front gate?"

"He'll be there," Hinoka said.

"Great. Then let's—"

The door through which the High Prince had just exited burst open, and he reentered along with a sweating, red-faced man in clothes that bore the sigil of Hoshido. "Sakura is trapped in the town of Koji!" Ryoma declared.

"What?!" Kamui exclaimed. "By whom?"

"Bandits, a full battalion's worth. They've practically infested the wooded mountains surrounding the town. Her escort has taken up a defensive perimeter, but they're too few to mount an effective counteroffensive."

"Wait, bandits?" Corrin demanded. "How the hell far away is Koji?"

"A few days," Ryoma informed them. He turned to the man behind him. "Go find Subaki, Sakura's retainer. Red-haired Sky Knight. Hurry!"

"Yes sir!" the messenger replied, sprinting off through the halls.

Ryoma addressed the Queen. "I might make it in two if I leave as soon as possible."

"Oh gods," Mikoto whispered. "Is she okay?"

"She should be. The outlaws are apparently biding their time in the woods, and they couldn't pierce Koji's walls anyhow. But the town's cut off from the nearest fresh water source. The wall was designed to withstand a deer stampede or a wolf attack, not a siege."

"I was never told Hoshido had a bandit problem," Corrin remarked.

Kamui strode past him on her way to the door. "We don't," she insisted. "Or at least, won't for long." Takumi and Hinoka rose from their seats as she passed and fell in step beside her.

Corrin looked back at Azura and his mother. "I should go too."

"Corrin…" Mikoto sobbed.

He pushed away from the table and stood. "No, I mean, I want to go. I want to make up for my actions at the Canyon, and for refusing for so long to accept who I am."

"You don't owe us anything."

"But I also want to go because my…my sister is out there. I…" he faltered. "I may not be comfortable to say that, yet, but it's still… It's something I need to do."

"You should let him," Azura agreed. Mikoto looked at her. "Let him be a part of his family. And anyway, he's already a trained warrior. I'm sure he can handle himself out there."

The Queen observed her son again, from head to toe. Despite the uncertainty he showed, and despite his horror at the transformation he'd undergone minutes earlier, a fire glowed in his crimson eyes. He did need to be there. That much was certain.

"I'll tell someone to fetch the sword you had at the Canyon," she said.

"You have it here?" He recalled letting go of Lilith, plummeting onto the bridge over the endless chasm, a black sky above and a black void below. Had he still been holding Ganglari? "That would be excellent."

He made for the door, but turned around as he reached the threshold. "Will you stay, Azura?"

"I will," she answered. "I'm not much good with a weapon, I'm afraid."

"Okay," he said. "Don't throw us a party when we get back. Although, a spread like the one Miss Orochi delivered to me this morning would be appreciated."

She giggled. "I'll see what I can do."

With one last laugh, Corrin hurried out toward the front gates of Castle Shirasagi, his robes still in tatters, and his smile quickly fading with the realization that he was headed for another fight.


	13. Those Who Seek Justice

_November, 2013 AD_

"We're officially in Flame Tribe territory," Subaki said, speaking loudly over the howling winds. "Koji should be just over the near peaks."

"What's our plan of approach, Subaki?" Corrin queried from behind him on the pegasus' back.

"At the moment, to follow Princess Hinoka's lead. Prince Ryoma's going to hop off in the woods along with Kagero, but our priority is meeting up with Lady Sakura immediately, which most likely means setting down in town."

Corrin looked between the other members of their platoon. On his left, Ryoma had saddled atop a kinshi bird behind an older woman, who bore long scars in the shape of a near-perfect "X" across the middle of her face. Kagero flew beside them with a male kinshi rider. To Corrin's right, Takumi rode behind another man on a falicorn, while Kamui flew with Hinoka. A few dozen other winged beasts filled the sky around them, each carrying at least one Hoshidan soldier. Shortly after leaving Shirasagi, Corrin had become concerned that their team was ill-equipped for a battle in the forest, but Subaki had reassured him by explaining that the riders—most of whom wielded naginata, while some wore katanas or bladed clubs—were sufficiently trained for ground combat, and the kinshi knights were all expert archers. Along with the additional foot soldiers they carried, they surely had the numbers to defeat a rowdy bandit clan.

Corrin shifted in the saddle, feeling his harnesses tighten against his legs. "I'm sorry to repeat myself, but, will Ryoma and Kagero really be okay down there, alone?"

"No doubt," Sakura's retainer professed. "His Highness is the greatest warrior in all the world, and trained in stealth by two of Hoshido's greatest ninja. And that's on top of the fact that, to be brusque, his sword shoots lightning. They'll be fine."

"I envy your confidence."

Subaki turned his body around with a smile. "I'm confident of the truth. My faith is assigned by what I've witnessed firsthand, and seeing His Highness in battle is certainly something to witness."

"Very well. I'll take your word for it, until I've witnessed it myself."

The knight laughed. "I think we'll get along well, milord, if I may say so. Welcome to Hoshidan command."

Corrin faltered. Despite the time they'd spent traveling, that wound was still fresh. "Thanks, Subaki," he said plainly.

The team flew onward, propelled at an impressive speed by the enormous wings of their disciplined mounts. The cold air whipped past them, digging under their armor and chilling their skin. Mere hours before, they had watched as gray clouds added to a thick layer of snow onto the mountains, but now the sun shone over a clear sky and reflected off the smooth whiteness below in a dazzling gleam. The first of the peaks were fast approaching, and already Corrin could see the green foliage of a cedar forest beyond the sheer cliffs. In a few minutes the Hoshidan company was over the steep mountain landscape, and a few more brought them alongside the jagged rock of the summits. As their view widened, the mood of the group swiftly and dramatically shifted.

"Shit," Subaki hissed, hastily looking over his harnesses and his weapons, a steel naginata with a blue leather handle and a pack of short javelins. "Landing might be rough."

In the distance, a cloud of black smoke billowed over the treetops. The walled town of Koji sat in a clearing in the expansive woods, far from the nearest settlement in any direction. In the days it had taken a messenger to escape the siege, relay the request for aid, and return with reinforcements, the bandits had grown bold. The fields that spread out from the east and west ends of town had sat charred, upturned, and abandoned for days, and more recently, the western wall had been breached. Nearly half the village was alight, human shapes clashed, and occasional explosions threw bursts of light to the sky.

"Fuck," Corrin sputtered. "Are we sticking to the plan?"

"We're still waiting on Princess Hinoka's move. Unless milady Sakura is sighted on the ground, we should still be trying to land in town."

Corrin touched a gloved hand to the hilt of Ganglari, which hung against his back in its unique harness. It felt strange to hold the obsidian blade again after everything that had happened, as if he was somehow betraying his family—his _real_ family—by using the weapon he'd been gifted by his kidnapper. However, the sword gave him an undeniable advantage in battle with its broad blade and otherworldly, unpredictable shape. Additionally, despite his emotions, he still felt as if Ganglari was physically a perfect fit for him, though he couldn't say whether that was due to the weapon's design or the unusual magic with which it was imbued.

His hand drifted over his shoulder to the front of his breastplate. When he had been presented his armor in Shirasagi, it had taken him several minutes to understand why he felt so unsettled at the sight of it. The blood had been washed off. It may have been as long ago as the Canyon, or just upon his arrival in Shirasagi, but at some point his armor had been cleansed of the Hoshidan blood that had stained it. It felt disingenuous. The blood was a reminder of the lives he had claimed, of the pain his actions had caused. What right did he have to destroy that reminder while the memory of each death still stood clear in his mind?

"I'm going down!" Ryoma yelled. His and Kagero's escorts guided their mounts into a steep dive, headed straight for the canopy of the pines. They leveled out a couple of meters over the treetops, the extra speed bringing them far out in front of the Hoshidan platoon. Ryoma drew Raijinto and held it at his side, scanning the ground intently for hostiles.

Subaki watched the High Prince with the same intensity. "If they are inside the town, we shouldn't see resistance until we're close."

"Especially in this snow," Corrin added. "So where exactly is he going to land?"

"Close," Subaki said. "Very, very close." He didn't sound nearly as confident now as he had before. Corrin couldn't be sure whether it was worry for Ryoma or Sakura that had given the knight pause. He didn't know which would be worse.

They were about a kilometer from Koji's wall when streaks of brilliant blue electricity leapt from Ryoma's blade into the trees. A small flame appeared in the air for an instant as the attack incinerated an arrow that had been loosed at the prince, and the branches that had housed the missile's owner burst into twigs. Reina and the other kinshi rider quickly slowed to a halt, allowing Kagero and her liege to dismount before beginning their rapid ascent back toward the Hoshidan brigade.

"So much for stealth," Corrin said dryly.

"The explosions in town should mask Raijinto's, at least for a while." Subaki drew a javelin from his pack. "Get ready to descend, milord. If you see an archer targeting us, scream."

"Yeah." Corrin swallowed. Even on a rickety wooden bridge over a bottomless abyss, surrounded by samurai on one side and pegasi on the other, he hadn't felt this exposed. As they neared the ground, one stray arrow was all it would take to drop them right out of the sky. He checked the chin strap on his helmet, a dull iron bowl he'd been handed during the rush to leave the Hoshidan capitol. "Small girl, peach hair?" he asked.

"Small girl, peach hair," Subaki reaffirmed. "You'll know Lady Sakura when you see her."

Hinoka banked right as she began her dive, heading for the seemingly undisturbed east side of Koji. Subaki and the other riders guided their mounts into the same maneuver, and the team took a wide circle around the east wall. As they rounded the northeast corner and crossed over the center of town, they saw that most of the action on the ground was happening amid the burning one- and two-story wooden buildings of the west side, while the eastern streets were occupied only by a few friendlies. Their landing on the main lateral street was uneventful, but their initial unease was magnified when, after they'd all landed and the ground team had dismounted, they realized that no greeting party had come to meet them.

"Son of a bitch," Hinoka muttered. "Everyone keep an eye out for— Oh, thank the gods."

A single Hoshidan samurai was running toward them along the road. His right arm was bound in a makeshift sling, and splotches of drying blood stained his armor. "Milords," he wheezed. "Dawn be praised, you're here."

"Easy, soldier," the princess urged. "Where are Sakura and Princess Rinkah?"

"In the town hall…on the west end."

Hinoka bit back a curse. "Why haven't they been moved?"

"Lady Sakura requested…that we use the building as a…hospital, as well as an FOB. There are injured there."

"Please tell me it's not on fire."

The man shook his head. "Not yet. And, it has a cobblestone foundation."

Hinoka nodded. "Thanks. Get some rest." She turned to her unit. "Ground units, head west and secure the town hall with the cobblestone foundation. All air units on me. We'll point out hostiles on the ground and see if we can't skewer 'em from above. Move out!" She kicked her falicorn into motion, pausing a moment to look back at her siblings. "I want to see everyone back in one piece."

"Good luck, sister," Kamui replied.

"Give 'em hell!" Takumi hollered. The last pegasus took to the sky, and the ground team took off at a jog through the streets.

Corrin felt almost like he were dreaming. The shift from a mind-numbingly uneventful flight to a war zone was shocking and surreal. At the canyon, he'd been able to see every enemy long before they engaged him directly; now, he didn't know when some ruffian could pop out of the woodwork and off him without a second thought.

"Are you okay, milord?" a woman's voice asked.

"Huh?" Corrin looked to his left and saw an archer with green hair, her bangs swept over her left eye. "Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks."

"Are you sure? You look sick."

Now he _knew_ he was dreaming. Her tone sounded sleepy and childish, as if she wasn't sure herself whether she would still care in a moment. "Um, no, I'm fine."

"Oh, sorry," she mumbled. "I'm Setsuna. I'm Lady Hinoka's retainer."

"Setsuna!" Kamui shouted. "Keep quiet unless you see someone ahead of us. Everyone, weapons out!"

The absent archer seemed to want to say something else, but she set her eyes forward and held her tongue. Corrin glanced sideways at his twin, who gave him an apologetic look. He quickly shook off his bafflement, reasoning that the Nohrian royalty had plenty of oddballs in their service as well. He drew Ganglari and watched for movement among the barren shopping stalls of the market they currently found themselves in. Produce and meat stands sat empty, raided for what little they had to offer during the siege.

Suddenly, Setsuna drew an arrow from her quiver and quickly loosed it over an upturned pile of large wicker baskets. The projectile narrowly missed a figure in a dull robe, who sent his own arrow careening off the road as he fell back into cover.

"Everyone take cover!" Kamui screamed.

"I see someone!" Setsuna called, kneeling behind a fruit stall.

More bandits rose up from among the shops, with some taking quick shots in the Hoshidans' general direction while others took their time waiting to see movement. Most of the outlaws were men in filthy hooded robes with short bows and knives, while a few wielded hand axes or clubs. One was struck by a javelin from above, driving itself directly through his chest and immediately rendering him senseless. Two more were forced to scurry backwards and dive behind stall counters to avoid arrows fired by kinshi riders.

Takumi raised his yumi, catching the corner of Corrin's eye. Like the others, it was essentially a thin longbow with a low-set grip, but its design was more extravagant than the simple wood and steel of the soldiers' weapons. The upper and lower limbs were crafted from a white material that didn't look like wood, and the grip and the tips of the limbs were adorned with golden decorations resembling feathered wings. The bow had no string, and Takumi carried no arrows. Corrin knew that the prince wielded a sacred treasure of Hoshido, the Fujin Yumi, but he'd never seen the divine instrument in action, and was curious to see its magical properties manifested on the battlefield.

Takumi placed his fingertips against the very top of the Fujin Yumi. In response, the point began emitting a faint green light. As the prince drew his fingers straight down through the air, the green light followed, forming a thin line connecting the ends of the weapon—a bowstring of celestial energy. His digits drifted back up the line, stopping at the point where an arrow would be nocked. Green light now swirled around his hand like a fog, and ghostly wisps of the energy circled his entire body. He drew his hand back, and the intangible string bent. The light condensed into a single, glowing arrow, laid across the bow like any normal projectile.

"Setsuna!" he yelled. "Get ready to hit that first guy!" He laid the Fujin Yumi flat across his hiding place, knocking a clay vase filled with wilted flowers over on its side. Raising the bow just over the wooden surface, he loosed the arrow. It flew straight into the pile of baskets, blasting them apart with a gale of wind and toppling the bandit who had first attacked them. Immediately, an arrow from Setsuna pierced the man's skull, and his flailing escape ceased.

A blue-haired woman beside Takumi grinned as the man went down. "Nice shot, milord!" She was in the process of strapping an odd weapon to her arm, a leather arm guard with a protruding naginata blade. "Can you cover me while I flank the right side?"

"Yeah," he said. "Just keep your eyes open. And, don't do anything reckless."

Corrin watched her dash between stalls, heading for the edge of the market. He felt useless just sitting on his knees under a hanging slab of rotting beef. "Setsuna, I'm going to flank their left," he declared. "Can you cover me?"

"Mm-hm," she nodded with a pleasant smile, as if she were sitting on a grassy hillside and not crouched down on the street of a besieged town.

Corrin chose to assume that she had heard him correctly, and began weaving his way between the stalls, mindful to keep his head down lest a stray axe split it wide open. He supposed the base of Ganglari's blade was broad enough to block arrows, but figured that he probably shouldn't go out of his way to test the idea. Most of the bandits were focused on Hinoka's Sky Knights rather than the ground, more afraid of projectiles from above than the bold strategy the Hoshidans on foot were employing.

He took cover beside a basket of rotten peaches and listened for movement nearby. He was now decidedly on the enemies' side of the market, and haste could cost him his life. The battlefield was nearly silent, interrupted only by occasional sounds of javelins smashing into the ground, arrows burying themselves deep in old wooden planks, and the pained moans of the dying. For the moment, he didn't think any of those moans came from his allies.

His breath caught as a faint scraping noise met his ears; the soft sound of a shoe sliding millimeters along the cobblestone, just around the corner of the stall. His grip on his sword tightened. He would certainly be seen if he tried to cut the man down now, so he had to make this fast. He rounded the corner, rising to his full height and swinging Ganglari in a wide arc, level with the man's shocked eyes. As soon as the bandit realized what was happening, the obsidian blade had dug through his leather hood into the back of his neck, severing his spinal cord. The small yumi he'd held slipped from his shaking hands and clattered to the ground. Placing his foot on the corpse's back, Corrin pulled his sword free, immediately dropping into a crouch and hiding his head behind the blade. An arrow struck the weapon right between his eyes, and another hit the left side of his breastplate before he managed to get back behind the stall. The second blow forced the air from his lungs, no doubt leaving a nasty bruise under his armor, but it wouldn't inhibit him in this battle.

Giving himself time to catch his breath and steady his nerves, he watched the Sky Knights to see if he could approximate where most of the remaining enemies were. He believed that all of the Hoshidan fliers were accounted for, though one kinshi had evidently been hit. The bird flew crooked, flapping its wings spastically as its rider tried to guide it back toward the east side of town. Two more kinshi and a pegasus were headed further west, past the market, and Corrin reasoned that Subaki must be going ahead to locate Sakura. He expected more would follow as the market was cleared.

The woman who had flown with Ryoma took aim at a target near Corrin. Noticing this, his eyes went wide and he tensed, preparing to charge the moment she had them distracted. She loosed her arrow, and he took off to the sound of the missile splintering against the road. Two men with bows were crouched behind the stand closest to the noise, who Corrin inferred were probably the source of the arrows that had struck him. The closer of the two had already nocked an arrow when he noticed the prince sprinting toward them and adjusted his aim, but he suddenly staggered backward and flung his bow away, clutching with both hands at Setsuna's arrow through his face.

The other man took a second too long to realize what had happened, running out of time to shoot at Corrin. He dropped his yumi and reached behind his back with both hands, drawing a tanto blade in his right and using his left to snap the flimsy belt holding his quiver. He used the quiver as a makeshift shield to meet Corrin's overhead swing, grunting as his hand felt the force of the blow through the cheap hide and wooden arrows. He lashed out with the tanto, missing by a wide margin but forcing the prince back a step.

The bandit feinted left with his quiver raised, hastily shifting right to try to get behind his foe. Corrin nearly swung at the bluff, but managed to catch himself and instead spun to the right with Ganglari raised. The man ducked the swipe, scrambling backwards to avoid Corrin's follow-up.

The outlaw shot a fearful glance in the direction of the Hoshidan archers, doubtless worried he would share his comrade's fate if he was careless. Corrin took advantage of the pause to close the distance between them, intent on keeping the man between him and the other bandits. The ruffian dove to the right, but suffered a cut in his side from the curved end of Ganglari's blade, throwing off his balance. Corrin raised his sword high as if preparing a powerful chop, but he knew the attack would be too slow. Just as he hoped, his frantic opponent realized this as well and clambered to his feet, dropping his guard and attempting to stab Corrin in the neck. The prince quit his bluff, dropping his left hand from Ganglari's hilt and bashing away the knife with his arm. Wasting no time, he seized the man's wrist and delivered a powerful kick to his face. With his other foot he stepped on the man's knife arm, pinning it to the ground. He raised Ganglari again, this time with the intention of bringing it down with all his might on his enemy's head. The man raised his quiver to block the swing, crying out as the force of the blow cracked the bones in his hand. Corrin hit him again, his eyes ablaze with adrenaline, before abruptly remembering that he was standing in plain view of the remaining archers. He dove forward, adjusting his legs at the last moment to drive his knee into the struggling outlaw's face, slipping just under the quiver and knocking it out of his hand. An arrow whistled through the space the prince had occupied a moment before. Corrin shot to his feet, spinning on his heels and turning Ganglari's point downward. He drove the blade through his foe's hands and into his head, turning the man's terrified wail into a muffled, gurgling gasp as he quickly lost control of his body.

A loud set of footsteps caught Corrin's attention, and he whipped around to face the source, letting his weapon remain standing in the head of its victim. He stumbled backwards and fell flat on his back end, narrowly avoiding the savage swing of the axe-wielding brute who had charged him. The prince scarcely had enough time to wonder how the hell a mass of muscle that big had managed to sneak up on him before he was set upon again, returning to his feet only to throw himself onto the ground once more. He desperately rolled over like a dog and crawled backwards to escape the assailant, reaching out in futility for Ganglari as he passed the corpse he'd left. He felt his back hit firm wood, his eyes widening in horror, hands pressing randomly over the surface. He was cornered, with no weapon and no way out. The barbarian raised his axe high, and all Corrin could do was cross his arms over his head and brace for the pain.

A gleaming projectile whistled through the air, bashing the axe clean out of the man's hands and spilling droplets of blood over Corrin. Seeing the outlaw stagger back, the prince leapt to his feet and threw a swift punch at his enemy's face. The man attempted to grab hold of him, but caught only a few strands of hair between his gloved fingertips as Corrin rolled out of the way once more, picking up the fallen axe while on the ground. Knowing that the man would take another swing at him, Corrin bounded forward, avoiding his opponent's grasp but falling short in his somersault and landing hard on his back. Nevertheless, he was exactly where he'd wanted to be—right next to his sword. Stumbling to his feet again, he wrenched Ganglari from the corpse with a hard tug and swung it clumsily in a wide semi-circle, slicing the bandit's raised palms. The man took another step forward, winding up for a powerful punch despite the fresh pain in his hands , but was stopped dead in his tracks when Corrin drove the axe through his coat and into his chest, catching the punch with Ganglari's hilt. Corrin hit the man's face again with both hands, then drew his blade around his body and over his head. The outlaw tried to defend himself, but the obsidian edge slipped his fingers and sunk into his skull with a soft thud.

With a gasp, Corrin tugged on the sword to turn the man's body, allowing his broad back to block two arrows that had been aimed at the prince. The barbarian slumped forward onto him, the life clearly drained from his dull eyes. Peering over his human shield, Corrin saw two pegasi diving down toward the street. Two outlaws, presumably those who had shot at him, screamed as one was cut down and the other trampled by the Sky Knights.

"Corrin!" Kamui called. He turned to see her jogging toward him, no longer hiding herself among the stalls.

He took another look at the corpse on his blade. He shoved the man off, watching with a morbid interest as the body flopped weakly onto the ground. "Are we clear?"

"Yeah, the market's clear." She looked him over, concern plain across her face. "Are you hurt?"

"No, I…" He glanced down his own body, at his arms and legs. Aside from the arrow that had bounced off the plate, he didn't think he'd been hit. "I think I'm…fine. Hah…" He wheezed, frowning at the bodies he'd slain. "There's only so much rolling…you can do…in full armor."

His twin nodded. "Yeah. Fuck, that was close." Her eyes scanned the cobblestone. "Do you know where my wakizashi went?"

"Your…" He looked at the two scabbards she wore. She held her steel katana in her hand, so of course the longer sheath that crossed her back was empty, but so was the shorter sheath that hung from her right side. "Did…you throw a sword at me?"

"Not at you, at the dastard about to smash your arm to pieces. But yes, I threw my side arm. It's not exactly their primary use, but it is something I've trained for."

"Lady Kamui." A samurai held out her wakizashi blade-down.

"Thank you," she said, taking it with a nod and sheathing it. She watched the Sky Knights who had finished the fight return to the air. "Hinoka's moving on. We need to go. Everyone, let's keep moving!"

She took the lead, marching down the street with her vibrant crimson hair streaming behind her. Takumi jogged up behind her, his thick, unbraided white queue swinging back and forth like a broken pendulum. "We're almost there, people!" he yelled. "Let's go!"

Kamui shot him a look. He responded with a shrug.

An explosion up ahead startled the team. "Prince Ryoma must have reached their ranks," Kamui assured them. "We're going to finish this." She increased her pace, prompting the others to do the same. Thin wisps of smoke seemed to be rising in front of the darker cloud, indicating that something close had been set aflame. She knew that her brother couldn't possibly have gotten so close already, which meant that the attackers had caused the sound. _'Of course, they must have had a stockpile of explosives to breach the wall,'_ Kamui thought. _'And if they had some left, and the town hall was barricaded…'_

The hall came into view shortly, proving to indeed be the source of the new smoke. The building sat in the center of a large square at the convergence of several roads. Four small flower gardens were arranged halfway between each corner and the capitol, their petals fallen for the winter and most of their stems trampled into the soil. The building itself, like the town hall in Kamiki, was a fairly plain, symmetrical wooden structure, supplementing its shorter length with a second floor. Bodies of soldiers, Koji's guards, and twice as many bandits lay strewn randomly about the square, some clearly still breathing while others lay still in pools of blood. There were also some still up and fighting, in the square itself and in the surrounding streets and buildings. As Kamui feared, the doors to the capitol had been blown wide open, though the careless flames surrounding the destroyed frame were dwarfed by a developing blaze spreading over the far corner of the building.

"For Hoshido!" Kamui screamed, holding her blade aloft. She nearly added the word "charge" at the top of her lungs, but thought better of it as she accelerated to a sprint. "Check your targets!" she ordered instead. Regardless of the urgency of the situation, and regardless of her own fear for her sister, injuring friendlies during a rescue operation would reflect horribly on Hoshido as a whole.

Takumi, Setsuna, and the archers hung back and began shooting, heeding Kamui's warning and holding until they had unobstructed lines of sight to their enemies. After drawing an arrow of energy with the Fujin Yumi, Takumi tilted the bow from side to side, dispelling the wild winds until only the green, wire-thin missile remained. He knew he'd be little help supporting his allies if every arrow he loosed blew them off their feet.

The rest of the crew rushed into the fray, instantly doubling the number of combatants throughout the square. Kamui, Corrin, and Oboro made straight for the building, while the others spread out to aid their comrades.

An archer standing in the threshold of the hall pulled his string back, but was pierced through the chest by a kinshi rider's arrow. Flying low above the rooftops, Reina pumped her fist in celebration of an excellent shot. A white mass raced downward before her eyes, which she recognized as Hinoka's pegasus. With a laugh, she hung her bow over her head and unsheathed her silver naginata, kicking her bird into action with the words "Charge, Kougou!" and racing toward the nearest bastard with a cloak and a dagger.

As Kamui passed over the threshold of the capitol, she halted and threw up a fist, signaling for the others to stop. She pointed at Oboro and gestured for the spear fighter to stand beside her. Takumi's retainer still wielded her guard naginata, the bladed arm guard Corrin had observed in the market. Standing close to the right wall, Oboro nodded without looking at her, scowling at the empty intersection she faced where the hall opened up on either side. She edged forward, moving slowly and silently along the floorboards while Kamui shifted to the left and matched Oboro's pace with louder, more conspicuous steps.

Their plan was quite clever, Corrin realized. If an ambush was lying in wait around either corner, Kamui would lure them into believing that she would approach from the left, but Oboro would proceed first from the right, blocking any attacks with her weapon. Once she was through, he and Kamui would advance immediately, turning the tables on whomever had laid the trap.

The maneuver was interrupted when a woman's scream cut sharply through the air, its source somewhere on the second floor. Kamui froze in place, as did Oboro. As the scream faded and clangs of metal sounded out in its place, the princess signaled frantically for her companion to advance.

Oboro nodded and dashed forward, taking two steps before passing the corner and entering the intersection. Sure enough, a club fell from Kamui's side of the hall, its wielder delaying by just a fraction of a second and missing the spear fighter completely. Meanwhile, a katana swung from the right directly into the surface of Oboro's guard naginata, digging into the tough leather but doing nothing to its wielder.

As Kamui charged the club-wielding barbarian and Corrin moved to follow, the prince saw Oboro gasp in panic at something out of view. _'More bandits,'_ he realized. Oboro tore herself free from the katana and dove hastily into the right hall, another sword passing millimeters over her head. Corrin raised his blade high, preparing to strike at the first attacker while running past.

Kamui drew her side arm in her left hand a moment before colliding with the barbarian. Crossing both her swords to hold his club at bay, she drove her knee into his gut and brought him to the floor, his head hitting hard enough to crack the wooden boards. She rolled over on her side to avoid an incoming sweep from another katana, its owner swinging high to avoid hitting his toppled ally. She raised her katana above her chest just in time to deflect a follow-up. In the second this bought her, she flipped her wakizashi around in her hand, raised it as high as she could, and jammed it into the neck of the dazed man beside her. The instant she felt the blade pass through his flesh and hit the floor, she released it and gripped her katana with both hands, narrowly diverting a fatal thrust aimed at her own neck. The dying man on the floor managed to bash her side with his club while flailing about, but the careless strike was hardly enough to leave a bruise through her armor.

Across the hall, Corrin and Oboro had both locked blades with their opponents. Oboro kicked at her enemy's ankle, but had to quickly readjust herself to avoid losing control of her weapon. Corrin noticed the movement and figured he might be able to replicate it to greater effect. Tilting Ganglari forty-five degrees, he managed to get his foe's blade to slide up the snake tail-like obsidian of the otherworldly sword, trapping the outlaw in the curve and giving Corrin far better leverage. The prince used this to launch a solid kick at the man's ankle, mimicking Oboro's strategy with far more power. Corrin's pointed greave jabbed sharply into the outlaw's boot, eliciting a grimace from the man and breaking his poise. He repeated the action, cautious not to let his focus drift from where his sword still pushed and scraped against the katana.

A third kick was enough to bring the ruffian down to his knee, and his grip loosened for just the instant Corrin needed. The prince shoved the man's sword to the side with all his might, then released Ganglari with his left hand and back-handed the side of his opponent's head. The man released his sword and grabbed onto Ganglari's hilt before Corrin hit him again, this time with a closed fist. The blow knocked the man off his feet, still clinging to Ganglari and pulling it and Corrin with him. The prince used the momentum to dive forward, freeing his sword from the winded raider's hand and driving the blade into his face, the top of the hilt resting against his chin. The man screamed and threw both his arms out in front of him, catching Corrin's cheek with a wild punch. Corrin shrugged off the hit and placed his left hand around the back of Ganglari's blade, pushing it further into the wailing outlaw's head. It caught on his teeth and skull, unable to go any further in its current position.

Corrin released his sword and turned away from the man, spotting what he was looking for beside him on the floor. He picked up the outlaw's katana, whipping back around when he heard another scream that sounded as furious as it was excruciated. The man had risen to his feet and, despite the heavy weapon embedded in him, had outstretched his arms to tackle his enemy. Corrin held the point of the katana outward as the man dove on top of him, bringing them both to the floor. Corrin squirmed beneath the crazed man, but found that he was able to throw the attacker off with little difficulty. A pool of blood had gathered on the prince's breast plate, which he frowned at in confusion for a moment. He looked at the twitching body next to him, Ganglari still stuck in the bandit's head and his own katana buried in the left side of his chest.

Corrin shot to his feet. Oboro was still at an impasse with her foe, while Kamui had risen to her feet and was now clashing blades with her own opponent. He tore Ganglari from his latest kill, grunting loudly with the effort.

"Go help Sakura!" Kamui shouted. Corrin looked at her, his sword already raised to help Oboro. Kamui risked a glance at him. "GO!" she repeated.

"O-Okay!" he said. Wrenching his eyes away from his allies and trying hard to ignore the continuing sounds of combat, he ran the other way down the hall, only now noticing the bleeding bodies of bandits and soldiers alike that lay scattered along the walls and laid across the floor. There weren't many, and some heaved with strained breaths as he ran past, but the sight nonetheless churned his aching gut. Corrin leaned through every open door and flung open each closed one as he proceeded, searching frantically for a stairwell. Most of the rooms in the town hall housed Koji's children, women, and elderly, many of whom were pale-faced and wide-eyed. A few screamed when they saw Corrin, and some begged him for help, but he had no time to stop and answer any of them. His legs felt heavy, as if they were sacks of wet sand, and he struggled to lift Ganglari above his waist. As he found the staircase and eyed the single flight with contempt, he mustered a low, growling shout to steel his resolve. There would be time to rest when the fight was done.

He climbed the steps as quickly as he could, his feet falling heavy on the old, dark wood that seemed with every creak to be threatening to splinter beneath him. His head ached around the place he'd been punched, as did his side where the arrow had struck him in the market. As he rounded the top of the steps and approached the door into the hall, from which clanging metal rang out loudly, he recalled the ambush downstairs and paused a moment. With considerable effort, he raised his sword and stepped into the doorway, swinging wildly on both sides and inflicting grievous wounds on the empty air that had apparently wronged him.

Somewhat relieved but no less exhausted, he turned his attention to the scene in the upstairs hall. Only two bodies were on the floor here, one a bandit with his throat sliced, and the other a samurai lying on his side who glanced hazily up at the prince. At the far end, a brown-haired Hoshidan woman, dressed in sakura-pink samurai attire with a blue cape, was fending off two of the attackers at once with a sword in each hand. She deflected a stab from a knife-wielding outlaw with one of her blades, then used both to block a swing from a larger man's club. The knife wielder swiped at her again, and she narrowly managed to avoid the attack by spinning away.

"Back-up?" she called.

Corrin's fogged mind needed a second to realize that she'd seen him during her evasion. "Yeah," he replied. He raised his voice as he started running toward her. "Here to help."

"Help Sakura!" the samurai demanded. She pointed her wakizashi at a closed door just behind her, quickly regretting the action as her opponents advanced in the opening she'd left. She hurriedly knocked both their weapons aside and launched into a series of fast, clumsy swings to keep them back. "Help her!"

Corrin winced at her struggle, but remained focused on her instructions. "I will!" he shouted, having already reached the wooden sliding door. He threw the door aside and rushed into the room, only to see yet another dastard with a club raised high over his head, towering above a terrified girl with peach-colored hair.

Exactly what happened next, Corrin wasn't sure. The flow of time seemed to slow as he lurched forward, his left hand outstretched. He thought he might have shouted something, perhaps the word "No," or perhaps some incoherent cry of anguish. The barbarian's club began to descend atop the cowering princess, her mouth and her teary eyes frozen wide open in silent horror. Then, suddenly, the club fell from the man's hands, clattering to the floor at the girl's feet. He yelped like a dog, then began gasping and screaming as he struggled against the object that had impaled him. Corrin felt his arm tug with each movement of the bandit's body, which his detached mind thought was rather odd until he looked the spot where his hand should have been.

The entirety of the prince's left arm had transformed suddenly into a draconic form, though its appearance differed from his previous metamorphoses. Rather than a bizarre hoof, the armored gray scales had turned the appendage into a jagged lance, more than twice its normal length and ending in a point that had easily pierced clean through the attacker's clothes and body, splattering a gory mess against the far wall of the small office. As Corrin watched in a dazed shock, the lance began disintegrating away just as his other draconic features had both of the times Azura had calmed him. As his arm reverted to its normal state, it left a gaping hole through its victim's torso. The man felt at the wound briefly before losing his balance and stumbling, falling forward onto his discarded weapon. The bladed club dug a short way into his forehead, though he seemed not to notice and remained slumped on the floor.

Corrin stared at his arm. Plain, pale flesh was all that remained, just as it had always been. The armor that had previously covered the appendage had burst apart and scattered throughout the room, but his skin showed no signs of the transformation, as if the incredible event hadn't happened at all. He slowly flexed his fingers, all of which readily complied, unaware of the fact that they had completely ceased to exist for a few nightmarish seconds.

"What the hell…?"

The voice caused Corrin to look up, and he blinked upon seeing the Hoshidan soldier whom he'd missed upon entering the room, sitting with his back to the wall and a hand held beneath the destroyed armor on his gut. The poor man had had blood and flecks of tissue sprayed over the right side of his face by the prince's unconventional rescue. His mortified expression matched Corrin's own.

"A-Are, erm…Are you okay?" the prince sputtered. The inside of his mouth was an arid desert, cracked and dry.

"What the fuck are you?" the man asked.

Corrin frowned. "Saving your life," he retorted.

The soldier looked sideways at him. He leaned forward as if to speak, but instead spat his breath out spitefully and slumped against the wall, trying to find a way to sit that didn't inflame his wound.

Stomping footsteps at the door made Corrin suddenly very alert, and he whipped around on his heel with Ganglari raised. However, Kamui's face was all he saw.

She jumped in surprise. "Woah, woah! Corrin, it's me!" She slowly sheathed her weapons. "Ryoma's beaten the last of them. We won."

Slowly, he lowered his blade. His hands shook almost violently. "We…We won?"

"Yeah." Her apprehension quickly fading, the princess walked past him, allowing him to hold his blank stare a moment longer. "Sakura!" she cheered, throwing her arms around their younger sister.

Sakura looked up at her, her feet still fixed to their places and her entire body trembling. Her lips made minute movements, but no sound emerged beyond a single, tiny squeak.

"Oh, gods, tell me you're okay," the older girl continued. She pulled away to arm's length and looked Sakura over. "Sakura? Are you hurt, at all?"

Sakura choked out a sob. Another followed, tears dripping from her eyes as she began to bawl.

"Is she okay?" The woman samurai who had been fighting in the hall rushed through the door to Sakura's side.

"I think so, Hana," Kamui said. "But she's rightfully a bit fucked up. And speaking of fucked up…" She knelt by the soldier on the floor, leaving Sakura to her retainer. "How bad is it?"

"I might live," he said through strained breaths. "But you must tell. What…" He pointed weakly at Corrin. "What's up with…him?"

All eyes turned to the prince, who had just managed with some effort to replace Ganglari in its harness. He met each of their gazes with his own frightened expression—frightened of himself. Of what he was; or, perhaps, what he would become. He glanced down at his hand again.

"I'll let you know…" he said, slowly enunciating every word. "…when I figure it out."


End file.
